


In The Wake Of The Storm

by Sandycastle



Series: Child Of The Heart [1]
Category: Bonanza/Ponderosa
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-26
Updated: 2016-10-26
Packaged: 2018-08-27 05:21:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 86,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8388850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sandycastle/pseuds/Sandycastle
Summary: Little Nicky has holiday adventures.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: This story is written for all to enjoy and not for profit. I do own certain characters in this story. The Bonanza and Ponderosa characters belong to David Dortort. I also thank Blue Eyes and her story Winnemucca for the reference used in this story about Little Joe being at the Paiute camp. I also thank my Navajo friends for their help with the Paiute scenes. Although this story is mostly A Bonanza story you will notice that I have also use some characters from Ponderosa. I have also created some other characters and places to suit the story. This story also contains spanking. If you don’t approve of this this story may not be for you.

Chapter 1

Ben Cartwright’s five-year old adopted son Nicky, nicknamed Sparky because of his fiery temper, raced into the yard on his pony blaze with his brother Little Joe in hot pursuit on his mount Cochise. “Nicky, when I get my hands on you!”

The littlest Cartwright attempting to slide from his pony caught his foot in his stirrup and fell hard to the ground.

Ben Cartwright hearing horses coming into the yard at a fast clip rose from his desk and flung open the door just in time to see his youngest son fall to the ground from his pony.   
“Ow!” The little boy sat up and Ben saw blood coming down his face. Ben hustled down into the yard, reached down and picked up his son placing his handkerchief over the cut that was now bleeding into Sparky’s right eye.

“Papa! Ow! That hurts!” Sparky cried tears now mingling with the blood. Ben looked sternly at his other son. 

“Joseph! Take care of your brother’s pony and your horse. I want to see you inside after you’re done!”

“Yes Sir.” Little Joe, looking at his little brother, felt shame and guilt about the accident. He grabbed his brother’s pony’s reins, leading both horses into the barn. 

Ben carried the now crying little boy in to Hop Sing. 

“What happen to little one?”

“He fell from his pony trying to dismount by himself apparently in a hurry to get away from Little Joe. I’m not sure what this was all about, but I fully intend to find out.” 

Ben left his small son in Hop Sing’s capable hands and went back to the paper work on his desk.

“What little boy do?” Hop Sing asked while he tended to the cut above Sparky’s right eye.

“I fell off Blaze! Ouch! Hop Sing! That hurts!”

“Little boy’s bottom will hurt too if don’t stay still.” Hop Sing cleaned the cut well and then got out his medical supplies, placing five small stitches in the cut. He didn’t want the little boy to have a scar. Tears fell from Nicky’s large grey eyes while Hop Sing worked. He sewed quickly and it was done in a moment. He put some salve on it and wrapped a bandage around it. “Little boy leave bandage alone.” Hop Sing admonished. Checking him over Hop Sing treated the black eye that was forming, placing a cold piece of raw steak over it. 

“Ow! Hop Sing! That hurts!”

“Little boy stop complaining.” Hop Sing admonished again. He then treated some other scrapes, a particularly nasty one on Sparky’s elbow. 

“Ow! Hop Sing!” Sparky cried out again at the stinging antiseptic Hop Sing used. 

Finished with his medical treatment Hop Sing led him by the hand to his father.  
“Boy all taken care of Mr. Ben.” 

Just then Little Joe came in from the barn and seeing his baby brother wrapped with a bandage around his head and a bruised right eye as well as some scrapes  
Worried he was in trouble. 

Ben eyed his two young sons. “Nicky, come here. Joseph, sit right there. Ben indicated the chair to the side of his desk. Little Joe sat worriedly. He tried to not show how nervous he was. He knew his father wasn’t happy about his little brother having fallen from his pony as a result of his chasing him and waited for the boom to be lowered. 

Sparky came to his father’s side and fidgeted. He knew he had been doing things he wasn’t supposed to be doing and worried a little at what his new Papa would do. He knew he deserved a spanking, but didn’t want one and tried to figure out how to avoid this. 

“Nicholas, how many times have you been told you are not to dismount from your pony by yourself?”

“Uhm… I don’t know Papa, lots of times I guess.”

“Can you tell me why you’re not supposed to dismount from your pony by yourself?”

“Because I’m still too small to get to the ground safely.”

That’s right Nicholas. “What do I do when I catch you trying to slip from your pony?”

‘Uh oh, I hate it when he asks questions like this.’

“Swat me on the behind and scold me for doing it.” Sparky was beginning to get a bit nervous at this questioning. 

“What did I say I would do if you continued to do that?”

‘Oh no, I have to tell him out loud?’

Tears came to the little boy’s eyes then, “Not let me ride Blaze and give me a spanking.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“But Papa! Little Joe was after me!” 

“Why was your older brother after you?” Ben saw the little boy fidget nervously, but waited for him to answer the question.

‘Uh oh, now I’m going to get it. I shouldn’t have said that. Now he’s going to make me tell him what I did. I’m in real trouble now.’

“Uhm… because I was being naughty.” The child answered in almost a whisper.

Little Joe was secretly glad that for once it was his little brother getting the questioning. He knew what Sparky felt like though having been in his same position many times. This was a relatively new experience for his little brother to have to account for his behavior. 

Sparky didn’t want to lie, but he didn’t want to tell his father what he had done, knowing that it would result in both restriction from his pony for a very long time and a spanking, maybe even a bare bottom one too. 

‘I wish I could tell Papa something that will get me out of trouble. He looks awful stern.’

“What were you doing that you were behaving naughty?”

Sparky squirmed now. He fidgeted, shifting from one foot to the other and looking at his boots. 

‘What am I going to tell him? He’s going to be mad when I tell him what I was doing and I’ll end up with a sore bottom.’

Ben reached out and tipped his little son’s face up to meet his.   
“I expect an answer Nicholas.” Ben instructed softly. He ignored the tears that began to flow down the little boy’s face.

‘I’m going to have to tell the truth now, Papa will know if I try to lie looking at me this way. I’m in big trouble.’

“I-I didn’t want to ride with Little Joe like a baby. I wanted to ride ahead like a big boy. When Little Joe told me to stop I didn’t. When he came up and took the reins out of my hands I-I… I kicked him.” Sparky almost whispered the last words knowing this would seal his fate.”

“Hmm… I see… then what happened?” Ben knew there had to be more. Little Joe was pretty tolerant of his little brother’s actions and kicking him once wouldn’t have gotten Little Joe upset enough to take after him. 

Sparky again looked down at his boot tips. 

‘Papa doesn’t look too upset, but when I tell him what else I did, he’s going to be mad. If I don’t look at him he’ll be mad too.’

“Look at me Nicholas.”

Sparky’s eyes came up and met his father’s again, but skittered away in embarrassment. “I-I Uhm… Uh… I got back the reins of my pony and rode circles around him and Cochise very fast and I wouldn’t stop when he told me to. He grabbed my reins again and I kicked him again and turned and raced for home. I tried to jump off Blaze when I got here because I didn’t know what he was going to do to me because he was mad.”

“Hmm… I see… you really were naughty, more than naughty young man. You were disrespectful and disobedient to Little Joe. He had a right to be upset with you.”

“Yes Papa.” Sparky stood there tears streaming down his little face. 

‘Boy am I in trouble now.’

“What did I tell you would happen the next time you kicked someone young man?”

“Y-you w-would s-spank me.” Sparky stuttered through his tears. 

Ben wasn’t through with him though.  
“That brings me to another point Nicholas. Are you supposed to be riding your pony fast?”

‘Uh oh, Papa is really going to spank me now and I’m going to lose my pony.’

The little boy’s eyes dropped to the toes of his boots again. 

“Look at me boy.”

The large tear filled grey eyes met those dark brown ones. “No Papa.”

Ben sighed. He hated punishing his children. “Go to your room Nicholas. I’ll be up in a little bit.”

“Yes Papa.”  
The little boy left his father’s knee and began to run up the stairs, then stopped himself and walked up the stairs. He knew he was in enough trouble without running up the stairs. 

Chapter 2

Little Joe glanced at his father. “Little Joe, I’m sorry that Sparky was so poorly behaved with you this afternoon, but I want to address your chasing after him. I suspect he would have slowed down if he hadn’t seen you riding after him and wouldn’t have tried to jump down either.”

“Yes Sir.” Little Joe replied his head hung down. 

‘Pa is probably right, but I just couldn’t let Sparky get away with being so naughty and kicking me that second time…well… I hope he does get a spanking out of this. No, I don’t really. I hate to see him spanked. I can remember when Pa would spank me like that when I was his age and how much I hated it. Heck, I hate it when he turns me over his knee even now. It makes me feel about Sparky’s age.’

“He knew you were upset with his behavior and didn’t know what you were going to do.”

“Yes Sir.”

“You know how I feel about you riding into the yard like that Joseph.”

‘Oh man, now I’m going to get in trouble for that too?’

“Yes Sir.”

“I think being restricted from riding any horse for the next week will give you something to think about. You may ride in the wagon to church with Sparky or can ride double either with me or one of your brothers.”

“What!? But Pa!”

“Joseph, would you like me to add a tanning to that punishment?”

‘Why the heck would he want to tan me? I’m not the one who was being naughty! But… I was riding into the yard fast and I know Pa doesn’t like for me to do that’

“Uh… No sir.”

“Now go see if Hop Sing needs any help before I decide to add extra chores to your punishment.”

“Yes Sir.”

Little Joe went to the kitchen. He was upset with Sparky. If he hadn’t acted so badly he wouldn’t have gotten restricted from riding.

“Hop Sing, Pa sent me in to see if you needed any help.”

“Boy may be of help to Hop Sing.” Hop Sing set Little Joe to setting the table and chopping some kindling. 

Ben mounted the steps to deal with the littlest Cartwright. Stopping outside the door to his son’s room he took several deep breaths. He was going to give the boy a sound spanking. What he had done riding like he did was dangerous. Not listening to Little Joe was also dangerous and jumping down off his horse when he knew he wasn’t supposed to was dangerous too. That had resulted in him injuring himself. Ben opened the door.   
Sparky was lying face down on his bed crying. He knew he was going to be punished and knew he deserved it, but didn’t want to go through it. 

Ben felt for the child. He sat on the bed and rubbed his back and then scooped him up and sat him in his lap. 

“Come on Sparky, stop crying now.” Ben wiped the boy’s eyes, being careful of his bruised right eye and helped him to blow his nose. When he was calm Ben said, “Nicky, you do understand that I have to do this don’t you?”

“Yes Papa because I was disrespectful and disobedient.”

“Yes and because what you were doing was dangerous and ended up in you getting hurt.”

“Yes Papa.” Sparky said his whole countenance sad. 

Ben then looked at Sparky, “Nicholas, I’m going to have to spank your bare bottom this time.” Ben bared Sparky’s bottom, then flipped the little boy over his knee. His little hands went back in an attempt to protect his bottom from the assault that was about to happen, but Ben gently pulled them away. 

“No Papa! Please! Don’t spank me!”

“I’m sorry Nicholas, but you’ve earned this spanking this time.” Ben proceeded to redden his little boy’s bottom. When he was through he was almost in tears himself. The little boy had wailed and begged, but Ben wanted to make very sure the boy understood how scared and displeased Ben had been because of his dangerous behavior. Sparky didn’t realize it, but his father had almost been tempted to use Marie’s hairbrush this time, but he knew this was enough for the little tyke. He’d have a sore bottom for the rest of the day. By morning he wouldn’t feel even the sting any longer. Ben would also restrict the boy to his room for the morning and He would not be riding his pony for two weeks. That was a very very long time for a five-year old. 

When Ben had finished comforting Sparky the little boy said through his sniffles, “Papa, I’m sorry, I promise I won’t be that naughty again.”

“You’re forgiven, but I think you owe Little Joe an apology too Young man.”

“Yes Papa.” Sparky stood up and Ben helped the little boy fix his clothes. 

Ben then stood his son in front of him. “Nicky, we need to talk about the rest of your punishment.”

Sparky’s large grey eyes widened and rounded at this. 

‘More punishment? That spanking wasn’t all?’

He fidgeted as he waited for his Papa to continue. 

“Stand still little boy and look at me.” When Sparky had complied Ben continued.   
“You’re going straight to bed after supper and you’ll be spending the morning in your room tomorrow. You also will not be riding Blaze for the next two weeks.”

Sparky’s large grey eyes widened and rounded. 

‘Two whole weeks! That would be forever!’

He knew better than to protest. Papa was really mad at him this time. Ben walked downstairs with him. 

When they got ready for supper Sparky sat on his cushioned chair. His chair always had a large cushion on it so he could reach the dining table comfortably so sitting after a spanking never caused him much discomfort. When Little Joe came in with some dishes from the kitchen Sparky called, “Little Joe, can I talk to you?”

“What is it Sparky?”

“Little Joe, I’m sorry for riding off like I did and kicking you too. Papa spanked me hard for that.”

“I know he did sweet pea. I forgive you, just don’t do it again. Because I chased you home and you were worried about what I would do I got restricted from riding for one week.”

“I’m sorry Little Joe. Papa says I have to go right to bed after supper, I’m restricted to my room tomorrow morning and I can’t ride Blaze for two whole weeks.”

“Gee Sparky, that’s a lot, but you did deserve it. My leg is all bruised. Hop Sing had to look at it.”

“I’m really sorry Little Joe. I promise I won’t do that again.”

“You had better not young man. I may have to give your bottom a taste of the hairbrush if you do it again.”

Sparky’s eyes widened and rounded again at his father’s pronouncement.

Adam and Hoss came in then and Adam scooped up his little brother and gave him a hug. When he patted his bottom Sparky winced and Adam noticed. “What did you do to earn yourself a sore bottom little one?”

“I acted naughty to Little Joe.”

“How did you get that shiner and this bandage?” Adam fingered the bandage around Sparky’s head gently.

“I got a cut over my eye when I tried to jump off Blaze and got caught in the stirrup and fell.”

“No wonder you got spanked Sweet Pea. What else did you do?”

“Rode fast and kicked Little Joe, twice.”

Adam hugged the little boy close. “You have been naughty haven’t you?”

“Yes Adam, Papa spanked my bare bottom, I have to go to bed right after supper and I’m restricted to my room all morning tomorrow and I can’t ride Blaze for two weeks.”

“At this last Adam saw the sadness in his little brother’s eyes. “Well, little one, sounds like you earned everything you received.”

“Yes Adam.”

“You had better be glad it was Little Joe you pulled those little shenanigans with and not me. I wouldn’t have waited for Pa to handle you. I’d have taken care of you myself.”

“You would have spanked me Adam?”

“For being disobedient and especially for kicking me? In a heartbeat little boy. I might have swatted your bare bottom all the way home and made sure I took the longest route and taken my time about it as well.”

The little boy’s eyes again widened and rounded. 

“Remember the last time you kicked me I told you I’d give you a sound spanking for doing it again.”

“Yes Adam. Adam?”

“Yes little one?”

“Are you going to spank me this time?”

“No, first it wasn’t me you kicked and second Pa already spanked you for it.”

The little boy looked very relieved. 

Adam hugged him tight, tousled his blonde hair and tossed him over to Hoss who tickled him and hung him upside down by his ankles until he begged to be turned upright. Hoss cuddled him being careful of his bottom. 

“Hoss, I love you!”

“I love you too Sweet Pea!”  
Hoss walked over to his father, “Pa, I think you have a package here.”  
Hoss handed the little boy over to his father who holding him tossed him to Adam who   
cuddled him too. “Adam, I love you.” Sparky gave his oldest brother a hug around the neck. Adam then tossed him to Little Joe. He was able to hold him too because Sparky wasn’t that big, or heavy. Little Joe was old enough now to be big enough to play this way without worrying about dropping his little brother. He too was careful of his sore bottom and after Sparky gave Little Joe a hug and told him he loved him carried him over to Pa again. Ben cuddled the child in one arm and Sparky cuddled up to Ben and said, “I love you Papa, but I don’t love your spankings.”

Ben laughed and tousled the boy’s hair and gently settled him onto his seat as he spied Hop Sing coming with the platters of food.

Chapter 3

When they were finished eating Ben escorted Sparky upstairs where he helped him wash for bed. Once he heard his prayers he tucked him in and gave him a kiss and the child drifted off to sleep. 

The next morning Sparky spent in his room. Ben had given him pencils and paper, having him draw some pictures for him while he stayed in his room. When he checked on him just before lunch he had drawn a picture of Blaze, one of the barn and the animals and one of all of the family, this time Ben was glad to see that Sparky had put himself with the family, not apart as he had the last time he had drawn pictures for Ben.   
“Very good Sparky. You did this just fine.”

“Really Papa?”

“Yes, really.” Ben said with a big grin. “Now let’s get down to lunch before Hop Sing threatens to throw it out.”

***

As October drew near the leaves began to change color and riding in the foothills was a breath taking experience. Sparky was off his restriction now and he rode along with Ben to the Silver Eagle mine. When they got there Sparky tethered his pony after Ben took him down and ran off to find his friend Gregory Walker. Mike Calahan, the mine foreman, seeing Ben approach got everything prepared. Sparky felt better about the miners and was well received by them all. Barry Walker happened to be up from the mine and seeing the little tyke, grabbed him up in a big hug and said, “Well young man, have you been behaving yourself?”

“Yes Mr. Walker, that is except for a couple of weeks ago when my Papa had to spank me and take away my pony for two weeks.”

“Well, now looks like you learned your lesson and you’re not creating any mischief?”

“Yes Sir. Where’s Gregory?”

“He’s in school, but he’ll be out soon.”

Sparky looked puzzled. Little Joe went to school, but that was in town. Barry Walker   
chuckled. “Sparky, we have a school teacher of our own here thanks to your Pa. 

“Oh.”

Barry tossed the little boy in the air. Don’t look so gloomy. He’ll be out soon.”

True to Barry’s words one of the cabin doors burst open and a stream of children came filing out. Gregory seeing Sparky raced over to him. “Hi Sparky! Good to see you!”

“How’s school going son?”

“Fine Pa, I got a one hundred on my arithmetic test.”

“Great, you’re doing just fine in school.

“Thanks Pa.”

Sparky looked on. He didn’t go to school yet. He wondered what it would be like to go to school. He didn’t know anything about Arithmetic. “Gregory, what is Arithmetic and what is a test? Is getting one hundred percent good?”

“Sparky, don’t you know anything? Arithmetic is working with numbers, adding, subtraction, multiplication and division. One hundred percent is the best mark you can get. It means that you got all the arithmetic problems correct.”

Sparky looked a little sad. He didn’t understand about some of these things. The two boys then went down to the stream to wash up for lunch and afterward Sparky stayed with Ben. Ben saw how lonely the child was. He had his brothers it was true, but he needed other young children to play with. He had an idea. 

Ben approached Barry Walker. “Barry, may I have a word with you?”

“Sure Mr. Cartwright.”

Ben asked Barry if he would mind Gregory spending a weekend with Sparky. Barry had no objections, so the little boy got to come back to the Ponderosa with Ben and Sparky.   
Gregory rode in front of Ben while Sparky rode his pony. Sparky had wanted Gregory to ride with him, but Ben said no in no uncertain terms punctuated with a hard swat to Sparky’s bottom when he began to protest.   
After that Sparky knew his Papa meant what he said and went along with Ben’s plans.   
When they got back to the ranch Sparky brought Gregory up to his room. The two boys would share Sparky’s bed. Ben followed them up and made sure they washed up and warned them about not playing around up in Sparky’s room, but to come downstairs when they were finished getting Gregory settled in. 

“Gosh Sparky you’re Pa is as bad as mine when it comes to the rules.”

“Papa doesn’t like the rules to be broken Gregory. He’ll swat you, take away your toys or a privilege, make you do something to follow the rule, like walking up and down the stairs, stand you in the corner or restrict you faster than you can think of an excuse why he shouldn’t.”

“Wow, Sparky, he sounds real strict.”

“He is, but he loves us and that’s what counts.”

When the two boys came running down the stairs Ben stood at the bottom with his arms crossed. He said “Sparky, what is the rule about running up or down the stairs?”

“Uhm… not to.”

“Go back upstairs both of you and walk up and down five times.”  
Ben watched as the two boys did as they were told. Then he escorted them over to his desk.

“Gregory I want you to know that while you are here your father has given permission for you to be punished as I see fit.”

Gregory’s dark brown eyes widen at this. 

 

“Yes, that includes a spanking if it is warranted.”

“Mr. Cartwright?”

“Yes Gregory?”

“Did Pa say any way you saw fit?”

“Yes he did Gregory. In answer to the question you’re trying not to ask yes. Even if you deserved a spanking with your pants down.”

Gregory gulped. 

“Now, the rules are simple here. You are to do as you are told. You are not to ride any animal on the ranch without permission from myself or one of the older boys or Hop Sing, our cook. Sparky’s older brother Little Joe cannot give you boys permission to do anything is that understood?”

“Yes Sir.”

“No running in the house, no slamming of doors. Eat well, no fighting, no arguing and we’ll get along just fine.”

“Yes Sir.”

“Sparky knows the supposed tos and the not supposed tos don’t you Sparky?”  
“Yes Papa.”

“Now you two go outside and play until supper time.”

Gregory and Sparky went into the yard and played. They used their imaginations being cowboys, Indians and outlaws, playing together for a time. 

“Sparky, show me where the outhouse is. I gotta go.”

“Okay.”

Once there the little boys were trying to compete as to who could make their stream the longest. Although Sparky tried, he was after all two years younger and quite a bit smaller than his companion.   
“See, I hit that rock over there.” Gregory crowed.

“Sparky tried for the same rock but missed miserably. 

Ben wandered over to where he saw the two little boys and watched in a bit of amusement as they did as all little boys did, trying to show off their male prowess. After Sparky tried for a rock that Gregory had hit and missed miserably Ben cleared his throat.   
The reaction this got was priceless. Both boys jumped guiltily and tried to button up their pants quickly.

“Boys, don’t even try. You’ve been caught dead to rights.”

“Uhm… Papa, are you mad?” Sparky asked tentatively.

“Is this something you are supposed to be doing?

“No Sir.” Gregory said his head bowed. 

“Boys look at me.”

AS a pair of grey and a pair of brown eyes met his he said, “Both of you come here.”

Ben indicated a spot in front of him. Both boys shuffled over their pants still undone. 

“I don’t ever want to see the two of you doing something like this again. The outhouse is where you relieve yourself. The only time you should use the outdoors is when we are camping or on the trail is that very clear?’

“Yes Sir.” Both little boys responded. 

“If I catch you doing this again you’ll both be spanked. Is that under stood?”

“Yes Papa, yes Sir.” The two boys responded.”

“Now button up your pants and go on up to the house.”

The two boys red faced buttoned up their pants and ran up to the house. When they got there they washed up and got ready for dinner.

Chapter 4

Gregory ate well and Hop Sing was glad to feed the boy. He ate like Hoss did when he was his age and this made Hop Sing very happy to have two very big  
eaters at his table. Little Joe had been a poor eater and Sparky was not a very big eater either. He had a tendency to play with his food rather than  
to eat it and Ben admonished him a couple of times at the dinner table to eat. When he had eaten enough to satisfy Ben Sparky asked to be excused and  
to take Gregory with him. Ben asked, “Where are you two off to?”

“I want to go to the barn and show Gregory the horses.”

“You had better wait until Adam or Hoss can go with you.”

“Aw Papa, why can’t we go by ourselves?”

“I don’t want you two getting into mischief. I especially don’t want you to be climbing up on the stalls.”

“Yes Papa.”

When Adam was finished he pushed back his chair and said, “Pa if you excuse the little ones I’ll take them to the barn.”

“Thanks Adam.”

The two little boys ran to the barn and Adam called, “You two wait for me!”

The two little boys stopped at the entrance to the barn to wait for Adam. When he got there they scampered into the barn and Sparky ran up to Blaze’s stall.

“Here is where Blaze lives Gregory.”

“Isn’t this stall a bit big for him? He looks so small in there.”

“No, it’s not too big, he likes lots of room.”

Sparky climbed up on the stall only to be plucked off by Adam. “Stay off the stalls   
Sparky.”

“Yes Adam.”

Sparky showed Gregory each of the other horses. “Chub is Hoss’s horse. He’s really big,   
he’s even bigger than Papa’s horse.”

“Yeah, he’s really big. Even my Pa would be able to ride him.”

Sparky climbed up on Chub’s stall and tried to reach over to pet him. Adam seeing the   
little boy sighed, walked over and landed a hard swat on his little brother’s  
backside.

“Ow!”

“I told you to stay off there Nicky!”

“Ouch, Adam, you swatted me hard!” Sparky had tears in his eyes.

“Then you do as I tell you to. Next time I’ll tell Pa and he won’t give you just one swat.”

“Yes Sir.”

Gregory eyed Adam. He wasn’t sure he liked the tall dark young man. Sparky rubbed his   
now stinging bottom. “Let’s go play in the yard Gregory, there’s nothing more to see in here anyway.”

“Okay.”

The two boys ran out of the barn, into the yard and Adam shook his head. His little brother sure could be stubborn about some things. If Pa had seen him do that twice  
he would be standing in the corner and then sent to his room for the rest of the night probably with a swat or two as well. He hoped he wouldn’t have such  
naughty children. Then he chuckled to himself and realized that his children wouldn’t be any different after all, they would be Cartwrights wouldn’t they?

Adam went out to watch the boys to see what they were doing. Sparky still had his hobby horse and Gregory was pretending to be an Indian and shooting at Sparky.

Ben came out to watch the boys and seeing Adam smiled at him. Little Joe and Hoss came out then after helping Hop Sing in the kitchen. Little Joe went  
to join the boys in their play. Hoss and Adam went into the barn to work on a wagon wheel they had to replace on one of the wagons they used for supplies.  
Ben seeing the three boys playing went inside to get a book to read and smoke his pipe out on the porch while the boys played.

Ben looked up when he heard a sharp cry from Gregory who was holding his hand over his arm. “What happened?” Ben went over to the child. Taking the boy’s  
hand away he saw a puncture wound which was bleeding. He turned to Sparky and Little Joe and asked again, “I want to know what happened and I want to

know the truth. Sparky dropped his eyes to the ground. “I threw a rock and it hit Gregory.” He said quietly.

Ben sighed. “Nicholas, you go inside and sit in the chair by my desk and don’t you move from there until I come and talk to you young man. Little Joe, you go inside as well and keep your brother company. I want to talk to you also.”   
Both boys trudged into the house. Ben took Gregory by the hand and Led him into Hop Sing. “Hop Sing, Gregory has a bleeding wound from a rock.”

“I fix right up Mr. Ben.”

“Thank you Hop Sing.” He turned to the now scared boy, “Gregory, Hop Sing will clean that and bandage it for you. What happened outside?”

“Uhm… we were playing.”

“I know that Gregory. How did this happen?” He indicated the wound on his arm.

“Uhm… we were playing cowboys and Indians. I threw some small pebbles at Sparky, then he threw some back. We were pretending they were bullets.   
Then I hit him with a small rock and he threw one back hard and got me.”

“I see. When Hop Sing finishes with you young man I want to see you by my desk as well.”

“Yes Sir.”

Ben left Gregory to Hop Sing and walking into the great room saw Sparky sitting at his desk as he had been told with Little Joe standing next to him. Ben could tell the little boy was crying because he saw Little Joe put a hand on his little brother’s shoulder and hand him his handkerchief. He sat at his chair in the dining room. He had to think about how he wanted to handle this. He wanted Gregory to be part of this little discussion too. 

****

“Ouch! That hurts!”

“Little boy stand still or he feel Hop Sing’s wooden spoon on backside.”

“Yes Sir.”

Gregory stopped wiggling while Hop Sing cleaned the wound and putting some salve on it wrapped it with a bandage. When Hop Sing was finished he escorted the little boy into the great room. 

Ben seeing Hop Sing bringing the youngster into the great room decided he’d have to have all the boys sit on the sofa and said, “I want all three of you to come and sit on the sofa here.” Ben pointed and the three boys sat down.

Ben eyed the three of them. Sparky’s large grey eyes were again filled with tears and Little Joe’s green ones were worried looking. Gregory’s brown ones were filled with a little fear. 

“Boys, I trusted you to play outside safely. “Gregory, was it safe to be throwing pebbles or rocks at Sparky or Little Joe?”

Gregory looked down at the carpet.

“Look at me child when I’m speaking to you. I expect an answer boy.”

The youngster’s brown eyes met Ben’s. “No Sir.”

Ben eyed Sparky. “Young man, do you know you’re not supposed to throw rocks or pebbles at someone?”

Sparky’s large grey eyes met his father’s. “Yes Papa.”

“Little Joe, why didn’t you try to stop them?”

“Well… Pa, they were only small pebbles to begin with…”

“Exactly Little Joe, from something small things can grow very big in a hurry. That is why it is important to stop things when they are small, before they get big.”

“Yes Sir.”

“I’m very upset by all this. Gregory is a guest in this home and his parents expect us to see that no harm comes to him while he is in our care. “Gregory, you will explain to your father how you got this injury when we bring you back.”

Gregory grimaced. He knew his Pa would not be pleased with him. 

“You two, he indicated Sparky and Gregory go stand in a corner and don’t come out until I tell you to. Then he turned to Little Joe, “You, will write me an essay on the dangers of flying projectiles such as rocks, bullets etc.”

“Pa!”

“No, Joseph, if you give me any problems about this you’ll receive a sound spanking and still have to write the essay. Your choice.”

“Yes Sir.” Little Joe said dejectedly. “Can I have Adam or Hoss help me?”

“Yes, you may.”

The two little boys each took a corner on either side of the room and stood there while little Joe trudged upstairs to begin work on his essay. 

Ben sat at his desk and supervised the two boys standing in their corners. He knew Little Joe was upset with him for handing him a writing assignment, but the boy needed the practice for school anyway. He would perhaps learn something out of this. He watched Sparky fidget shifting from one foot to the other in his corner. “Sparky, stand still.” The boy stopped fidgeting immediately. Ben knew Sparky knew from past experience that time would be added to his standing in the corner if he didn’t do as he was told and if he continued to fidget it might also earn him a hard swat or two. Ben did add extra  
time to his corner time as usual. When both children had stood in the corner long enough Ben called them out.

“I hope you two learned your lessons about rock throwing?”

“Yes Papa, yes Sir.”

“Good, now the two of you may play in the great room. Sparky led Gregory over to his toy chest. The boys got out Sparky’s soldiers and played with them  
noisily fighting their imaginary battles.

Chapter 5

Hoss and Adam came in from their chores in the barn and seeing the little boys playing and a bandage on Gregory’s arm eyed their father. “Rock throwing.  
I have Little Joe writing an essay on flying projectiles. He may need your help boys.”

“Yes Sir.” Adam and Hoss said and headed up the stairs to their younger brother’s room.

Little Joe was sitting at his desk with a black scowl on his face. Adam knocked on the door frame. Little Joe looked up. “I don’t see why they just get to stand in the corner for a while and I have to write this stupid essay!”

“Because little brother, you are now the big brother and are responsible to stop little brother from doing things he shouldn’t. Hoss and I got into trouble  
for letting you do things you shouldn’t have been doing in our time you know. We still do.”

Little Joe knew Adam was right. “I need to borrow some books from you Adam in order to know what flying projectiles are and what they do, you know.”

“Yes, I do. I’ll bring you the books Little Joe. If you have questions I can explain them to you.”

“Thanks Adam.”

Adam and Hoss went into Adam’s room. Hoss sat on his bed.

“Adam, our little brother is sure finding out that being a big brother isn’t all fun and games.”

“yes, Hoss, the hard way.”

” Adam, did Pa give ya writing assignments when we was growin' up?”

“No, he just gave me all kind of chores to do or spanked or tanned me mostly. I think he began to get more creative about this kind of thing since Sparky  
came to stay with us. He knows how much Little Joe hates to do writing assignments.”

“Well, I didn’t like them either, but he didn’t give them to me. He mostly gave me lots of extra chores, kinda like he done to ya.”

“I think he didn’t give me writing assignments because he knew I would like to do them   
because it would have given me more time to read. I got into lots of trouble for not getting chores done because I was reading instead.”

“Really? I don’t remember that.”

“Oh, by the time you were old enough Marie was around then and She kept you pretty occupied. Pa and I had several of his necessary talks or sessions in the barn over that kind of thing.”

“Sparky and his little friend sure are a pair aint they?”

“Yes, but Pa can handle them. That little Gregory sure reminds me a whole lot of you when you were younger Hoss.”

“Yeah, he sure is a big kid for being only seven. He’ll be as big as me when he gets to my age. Sure is a contrast with Sparky being so little at five and  
Gregory being so big at seven.”

“Pa sure nicknamed our little brother correctly. This was the boy he had the fight with the first time he went up to the mine. Remember how he came home with that black eye? Pa said Sparky started the fight. No wonder Pa spanked him for it. It would be like Little Joe starting a fight with you. You’d pound him.”

“Naw, Pa wouldn’t have let me. He’d of tanned me.”

Adam smiled. “You’re right Hoss.”

Adam picked out the books he thought would be the most helpful to Little Joe in completing his assignment and brought them to his brother. “Here you go  
Joe, I think these will help.”

“Thanks Adam.”

“Don’t look so down partner, at least Pa didn’t give you a sore bottom to go with the assignment.”

“Yeah, but I still hate to write it.”

“I know, but you do a good job and get it done and it will be over with.”  
Adam put a hand on his brother’s shoulder and gently squeezed. Then he left the room.

Hoss had already gone downstairs and Adam soon joined him. They played a game of checkers while Ben read and the boys continued their noisy battle.

“Sparky! You weren’t supposed to do that!”

“Why not! I was rescuing them!”

“They were supposed to be captured!”

“So… now they were rescued by my Captain!”

“They were supposed to be killed by the firing squad!”

“Well I didn’t want them to be killed so my Captain got them out just in the nick of time!”

“Boys, stop your arguing. If you can’t play nicely then you can go to bed.”

“But, Papa!”

“No argument Nicky.”

“Yes Papa.”

Gregory smirked at Sparky being scolded by his father. Sparky jumped up and flew at Gregory pushing the older boy over. “That’s not funny Gregory!”

Ben stood up, picked up Sparky and bringing him to his chair flipped him over and landed a hard swat on the seat of his pants. The little tyke hadn’t even had a chance to put his hands behind him to try to protect his bottom. Tears came to his eyes as Ben sat him up in his lap.

“Nicky, that is no way to treat a guest.”

“But, Papa,” Sparky sniffed, “He was laughing at me for being scolded.”

“That is still no reason to push or fight with your guest. Nicholas, the next time you start a fight with anyone you will be receiving a very necessary talk with your pants down do you understand?”

“Yes Papa.” Sparky said sadly.

Ben eyed Gregory. “You young man shouldn’t laugh at your host if he is being scolded. That is not very good manners.”

Gregory looked down ashamed.” I’m sorry Sir. I’m sorry Sparky.”

“Now the two of you clean up your toys and go on up to bed. I’ll be there in a minute to help you wash up and get ready.”

“Yes Papa.”

“Yes Sir.”

Ben had given Sparky a big hug and a kiss on his forehead before releasing him to go upstairs.  
When the two boys got into Sparky’s room Gregory turned to him. “Gee Sparky, I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to laugh at you. It just sounded like something  
my Pa would’ve said and it kinda struck me funny. You really have a short temper don’t you. I didn’t think your Pa would smack you like that either.”

“Well, Papa doesn’t like fighting and me pushing you could have caused us to have a fight and so Papa gave me that swat. I forget sometimes he can move pretty fast.” Sparky rubbed his still stinging bottom.

When Ben came into the room he saw the boys were at ease with one another once again and helped them to wash and get into their nightshirts. He noticed the red hand imprint on Sparky’s bottom, but knew there would be no sign of it by morning.  
He heard the boy’s prayers and then tucked them in.  
“Papa?”  
“Yes Sparky?”

“Can you tell us one of your stories about when you were at sea? Gregory hasn’t heard any of your stories.”

Ben smiled. “Yes, I’ll tell you a story, but only if you both lay still and go to sleep.”

“Yes Papa!” Sparky immediately snuggled down in his covers and Gregory did the same. Ben then began one of his yarns and when he saw both little boys sound asleep turned down the lamp and closed the door. He would blow out the lamp when he checked on them before he went to bed.

Chapter 6

Little Joe was still hard at work when Ben passed his door. Ben stopped and peeked in. “Son, I want you in bed in a half hour.”

“Yes Sir.”

Ben went on downstairs.

Adam and Hoss were continuing another checker game. Ben could see this was the deciding game. Each boy had won a game and this one would decide who won this set. He picked up his book and sat down to read.

*****

In the morning Ben woke to a strange thumping sound and high pitched giggles. He wondered what his little boy and his friend were up to now. Then he heard a loud crash and jumped out of bed not even getting dressed and ran into the room.

Both boys were sitting on the mattress of the bed which was now sitting on the floor. Ben now knew what the thumping sound and the giggles were all about.  
The boys had been jumping on Sparky’s bed.

Adam, Hoss, Little Joe and Hop Sing had also come running at the loud crash and when they peeked in to see the mattress sitting on the floor and realized what happened, they all left the room to allow Ben to deal with this situation.

Ben eyed the two children. “Do you care to tell me what you were doing that the mattress of your bed is now on the floor Nicholas?”

‘Uh oh, now I’m in big trouble. Papa has scolded me for jumping on the bed before. It sounded like it would be fun and the bed has never collapsed before…’

“Uhm… uh… we were jumping on the bed.”

“I’m glad you chose to tell the truth about this Nicky. I heard you two jumping on the bed.”

Sparky looked down at his toes peeking out from under the covers which he had quickly drawn over him to protect him from his father.

“Nicky, Look at me.”

The little boy complied. “Are you supposed to jump on your bed?”

“No Papa.”

“Have you been told before not to jump on your bed?”

“Yes Papa.”

“Nicky yesterday I asked you if you knew what things you were supposed to do and not supposed to do and you told me yes.”

“Yes Papa.” Sparky had tears running down his face.

“Didn’t I also say that you would let Gregory know what you were supposed to do and   
not supposed to do?”

“Yes Papa.” Sparky sobbed now.

Gregory was getting nervous seeing Sparky being questioned this way and crying.

Ben asked, “Whose idea was it to jump on the bed?”

“My idea Papa.”

“Even though you knew you weren’t supposed to jump on your bed.”

“Yes Papa. Papa, I’m sorry!” Sparky wailed now dissolving into hot tears and crying hard.

Ben felt sorry for the boy, but jumping on the bed was something he had been told numerous times not to do. Ben didn’t want him to fall off and break something  
or cause himself some serious injury. Now with the both of them jumping on the bed the bed had collapsed.

Ben picked up his crying son and sitting on the desk chair which he had pulled out put the little boy in his lap. He cuddled him until he stopped crying.  
“Sparky, let’s get the two of you washed up and ready for breakfast. After breakfast the two of you will be standing in the corner.”

“Yes Papa.”

Ben poured the water in the basin and after the boys were washed up he left them to get dressed.

Ben returned to his room, washed, shaved and dressed. When he passed by the little boy’s room they had already scampered downstairs. When breakfast was through Ben had Hop Sing put the boys in their corners and supervise them while he, Hoss and Adam headed upstairs to repair the bed.

“Little boys no leave corner before Hop Sing say or little boys feel Hop Sing’s spoon on backside.”

Hop Sing left the room to tend to his oven. When he returned the boys were still in their corners. They began to fidget. They were standing there for an awfully long time Sparky thought. Ben had told Hop Sing that the boys were to stay in their corners this time until they had finished repairing the bed.

Sparky stood in the corner and was getting bored. It seemed like an awful long time to be standing in the corner. Gregory too was getting bored standing in the corner and both children began to fidget.

“Boys stand still. If no stand still stay in corner longer.”

Sparky sighed and stood still again. He knew from experience that Hop Sing meant what he said. If he fidgeted too much after being warned to stand still he would feel the sting of the wooden spoon. He chanced a quick glance at Gregory and saw he too was now standing still.

Ben pulled the mattress with the help of Hoss off the floor and stood it on its side against the window. Adam stepped into the bed frame and studied the frayed ropes that had snapped. “Pa, these ropes will need to be replaced. They are frayed right through.”

Ben glanced at the bed frame and saw what Adam meant. He suspected his little one had been jumping on his bed more times than Ben had caught him. He would be giving his son a stern lecture about this. He fully intended to keep him and his friend in the corner until this repair job was completed and it would be quite a while.

Adam went to the barn to get some new rope. He glanced at the boys standing in the corner still with Hop Sing mending clothes and his wooden spoon nearby.

Adam came back with the rope and heard Hop Sings stern admonition to the boys to stand still and smiled to himself as he mounted the stairs. How many times he had heard those words himself when he had had to stand in the corner. Thank goodness he was too old to be stood in the corner anymore. A tanning…  
well… that was a different story.

Adam and Hoss strung the new rope pulling it taut and tying the knots at Ben’s directions. These knots would not come undone. A sailor if nothing else, certainly knew how to tie knots that wouldn’t come undone. About an hour later they had completed their task. Ben and Hoss wrestled the mattress back in place and went downstairs to release the boys and to tell Hop Sing they were finished so he could come up and make up the bed as they had to take off all the bed clothes.

“You two may come out of your corners now.”

Sparky and Gregory turned together and headed for the door to run outside to play, but Ben stopped Sparky short. “Nicky, you I want to talk to. Gregory, you may go outside and play. Sparky will be out in a little bit.”

‘Uh oh, Papa is going to want to talk to me. He’s mad about the bed breaking.’

When the door had closed behind Gregory Ben taking Sparky by the hand led him to his desk and stood the boy in front of him as he sat in his desk chair.

“Young man, from the look of those ropes it appears that you have been jumping on your bed quite a bit more often than I have been catching you. All the ropes were frayed and had to be replaced.”

Sparky looked down at the toes of his boots.

“Look at me Nicholas.”

Sparky looked at his father’s dark brown eyes.

“All new ropes have been strung on your bed. If I find them frayed like that again I will know how they got that way and you young man will receive a well-deserved spanking. Are you very clear on that?”

“Yes Papa. No more jumping on the bed.”

“If I catch you jumping on the bed again young man I will not be standing you in the corner again. I promise you a spanking with the hairbrush. Do you understand?”

“Yes Papa, no jumping on the bed or I’ll get a spanking with the hairbrush.”

Ben then pulled Marie’s hairbrush out of his pocket. “This is the hairbrush you will be spanked with Nicky.” Sparky had never been spanked with the hair brush.   
Ben showed him the heavy wooden hairbrush. He handed it to his son so he could feel how heavy it was and then taking it back from him flipped him over his knee and gave him one stinging swat with it on his seat.

“Ouch! Papa! That hurt!”

“Now you have an idea of what it will feel like to get spanked with this.”  
Tears ran down Sparky’s little face and he rubbed the burning spot on his bottom. “I’ll be good Papa; I won’t jump on my bed anymore.”

“Good boy Sparky.” Ben dried his tears, gave the little boy a big hug then and sent him outside to play.

Chapter 7

Sparky walked dejectedly out to where Gregory was throwing pebbles at a tree. When he saw him rubbing his bottom he asked, “Did your Pa spank you for jumping on the bed?”

“No, he scolded me and then told me I would get spanked with the hairbrush if I got caught doing it again. Then he gave me one swat with it so I would know what it felt like.”

“You never got spanked with a hair brush before?”

“Uh uh.”

“They hurt. My mom spanked me once on the bare bottom with hers and I could hardly sit down for the rest of the day. I don’t ever want to get spanked with that again.”

Sparky’s eyes widened and rounded at his friend’s description of what happened to him when he got spanked with a hairbrush.

The boys went off to play and when Hop Sing called them in for lunch they had forgotten all about hairbrushes and spankings.

After lunch Hoss, Adam and Ben went out to the north pasture to check on things there. Little Joe was still stuck up in his room writing his essay. The two little boys wandered out to the barn and looking for something to do began to pile up the loose straw in the back of the barn used for bedding and hauling it outside to the side of the barn. When they had created a pile that was as high as they could make it Gregory and Sparky hauled out the ladder and leaning it against the barn climbed up onto the roof. Sitting up on the roof Gregory said, “I dare you to jump off the roof onto the pile of hay down there. Sparky looked down at the pile of straw and without another word jumped. He sunk up to his neck in the straw and grinned, climbing out of it and then Gregory jumped into it. They climbed up to the roof again and jumped onto the straw again. They did this for some time before Hoss came riding back to the yard. He had returned for some supplies they needed to treat a sick cow and when he saw Sparky go flying off the barn roof quickly followed by Gregory his heart leapt into his mouth.  
When the two boys crawled out of the pile of straw Hoss grabbed them each by the collar and hauled them to their feet.  
“Little brother, just what do ya think ya doin?”

“Having fun Hoss.”

“Ya had better be glad it was me who caught ya two at this and not Pa! He’d have had ya both over his knee before ya could blink!”

“You’re not going to tell him are you Hoss?”

“I should.”

“Aw Hoss, please don’t.”

“Well ya had better get all this straw back inta the barn before Pa comes back or ya’ll have some explaining ta do little brother.”

“Thanks Hoss.” Sparky hugged Hoss and Hoss hugged him back. 

“Ya had better get this cleaned up or I’m not responsible for what’ll happen ta ya hide little one.”

Sparky and Gregory began to clean up the straw putting it back in the barn where they had gotten it from.

Hoss shook is head. He knew he should tell Pa, but brothers didn’t tell on brothers. He just hoped that they wouldn’t do it again.

The little boys had cleaned up as much of the straw as they could, but they weren’t able to rake it all up. Little Joe came out and seeing the mess knew what his little brother had been up to.

“Hi Little Joe, did you finish your writing?”

“Yes, but it looks like you two have been in mischief.”

“Well… we were jumping off the barn roof into a pile of straw. Hoss caught us and told us to clean it up or Papa will be asking questions.”

Little Joe looked at what still remained of the straw. “Nicky, you’re lucky that I’m not a brother to tell on you. I’ll help you guys to clean up this mess, but you’d better not do it again or I might not be able to save you from Pa.”

“Thanks Little Joe.” Sparky gave his older brother a big hug. Little Joe tousled his hair and hugged him back.

 

Little Joe got a rake and a wheel barrow and cleaned up the straw the little boys weren’t able to and when Ben came home he had no idea as to what his littlest son had been doing. Adam caught up to Ben before they left the barn and told him about catching Sparky up on the stalls twice yesterday evening when he took the boys out to the barn to see the horses and that he had given him a hard swat for it. 

“I don’t know what I’m going to do with him about this. I guess the next time he does it he’s going to have to get a sound spanking. I don’t want him falling off and hurting himself. I’ll talk to him about it. 

After supper Ben called the littlest Cartwright to him, sitting at his desk.  
“Nicholas, Adam tells me that he caught you up on the stalls again yesterday evening when he took you and Gregory out to the barn to see the horses.”

“Yes Papa, he swatted me hard for it too.”

“Well young man, I’m warning you right now. The next time you get caught climbing up on the stall you’ll be getting a sound spanking for it do you understand?”

“Yes Papa.”

“Good. Now, you and Gregory may go outside and play until it gets dark.”

“Okay Papa.”

Sparky and Gregory played in the yard and then they went into the barn. Sparky already forgetting his father’s admonition, climbed up on Blaze’s stall and Gregory easily joined him.

“Gee, I wish I had a pony. I really like yours.”

“Yes, Blaze is a really good pony too. My brother Little Joe rescued him from where some farmer tied him in his stall and left him with no food or water.”

“That was bad.”

“Yes, it was. My brother got a tanning over it too.”

“How come?”

“Because he kept Blaze a secret and ended up in a lot of trouble over it. He was teaching me to ride when he wasn’t supposed to and Papa wasn’t too pleased about the whole thing. Especially because I got very upset when Papa went away. I wanted to find Papa and left to find Blaze without telling anyone. I got a sound spanking from Papa for leaving the house without telling anyone. I won’t ever do that again. My bottom was pretty sore for a little while.”

“He’s sure a pretty little thing.”

Ben walked into the barn to check on the two little boys as they were no longer playing in the yard. When he saw his five-year old up on the stall where he had been told numerous times to not be, he snatched him off along with his partner and set them both on the ground.  
“Nicholas, how many times have you been told not to climb on top of the stalls?”

“Lots of times Papa.”

“What were you told would happen the next time you were caught up there by me or one of your brothers?”

“Uhm… “Sparky looked down at the ground his face reddening embarrassed.

“Well?”

“Uhm… I would be getting a spanking.” Sparky replied in a small voice. “Papa?”

“Yes Nicholas?”

“Please don’t spank me now.”

“When do you suggest I do spank you?”

“After Gregory goes home. I don’t want to be spanked in front of him.” Sparky flushed red again.

Ben smiled to himself. Now the little mite was trying to wrangle his way out of being spanked in front of his friend. “I don’t think so little boy. If you can disobey the rules in front of your friend and have him disobey the same rule, you can be spanked in front of him.”

“Yes Papa.”

Ben picked up his little son and sitting on a nearby bale of hay put him over his knee and spanked him. When he was through Sparky was crying and Ben held him tight and asked, “Are you going to stay off the stalls now?”

“Yes Papa. I’m sorry Papa.”

Ben had just spanked him hard enough to make his bottom sting for a while, but nothing more serious. Sparky recognized that his Papa could have bared his bottom and gotten directly to the seat of the problem if he had wanted to. Sparky was very glad he had not spanked him bare in front of his friend. Being spanked in front of Gregory had been embarrassing enough because he had cried.

Ben eyed Gregory. “Gregory, I don’t expect to see you up there either young man. If I do you will also receive a spanking just like Sparky here did, is  
that understood?”

“Yes Sir, Mr. Cartwright.”

Ben then let the two boys go off and play again.  
“Gee Sparky, ya Pa is really strict.”

“Mostly Gregory, He told me earlier that I would get a spanking if he or any of my brothers caught me up there again. They usually just pick me up off the stall and scold me or give me a swat. I forgot Papa had said I’d get a spanking the next time I did that.”  
The little boys went into the house as it was growing dark and would be time for them to go to bed soon. 

Chapter 8

The next morning Ben was getting the little boys ready for church. Sparky looked so adorable in his little suit that it made Ben smile. He looked like  
a little gentleman with his little black Stetson, black string tie and little riding boots. Ben had found an old suit of Hoss’s from when he was about Gregory’s age for the boy to wear and Hop Sing had cleaned and pressed it. He looked quite nice too. When they all got ready to leave Sparky asked, “Papa,  
can Gregory ride with me?”

“Nicholas, what did I tell you about that when we left the mining camp?”  
Sparky sighed. “That I was too little for anyone to ride double with me and that I wasn’t an experienced enough rider to be able to do that.”

“That’s right. When you knew that why did you ask?”

“Because I thought it would be fun for Gregory to ride with me.”

” Well the answer is still no. I don’t want you asking again. Is that understood?”

“Yes Papa.”

Ben pulled the other boy up onto his saddle with him and they all rode into town to attend church.  
When they arrived at church Sparky waited for his Papa to take him down off his pony. He knew better than to try to slide down from his pony and didn’t want to get swatted in front of everyone here at church.

After Ben lowered Gregory to the ground he dismounted. He walked over to Sparky and plucked him out of the saddle. He admonished the two boys to stay close and walked over to one of his friends to say hello. 

Sparky saw Sally Robbins and smiled at her.   
She grinned back and asked, “Sparky, who’s ya friend?”

“Sally Robbins, this is my friend Gregory Walker.”

“I haven’t seen you around here, where do you live?”

“At the Silver Eagle mine. I’m staying with Sparky for the weekend.”

“Oh, you live at the mine?”

“Yep, along with a bunch of other kids. We even have a school teacher, Miss Travis, that lives there and teaches us.”

“That’s really interesting. Sparky used to live at a mine too.”

Sparky grew a bit nervous. He didn’t like to think about or talk about the time when he lived at the Green Backs mine. He unconsciously put his hand in his mouth and chewed on his fingers.

Ben glanced over at the children and seeing his young son with is hand in his mouth knew something was distressing him. He walked over and hunkering down to the child’s level asked, “Sparky, are you okay?”

Sparky took his hand out of his mouth. “Yes Papa.”

“Then please keep your hand out of your mouth son.”

“Yes Papa.”

Ben took Sparky’s hand and smiled at Sally. He then took Gregory’s hand and said to Sally, “Young lady, I think your father is ready to go inside now.  
I’m going inside now myself.”

“Yes, Mr. Cartwright.”  
The little girl ran off to join her father, Jake Robbins. Ben wondered what it would be like to have to raise a little girl all by himself. Boys were hard enough.

In Church Sparky had a hard time sitting still. He usually was pretty well behaved, but today swung his legs and fidgeted and both Ben and Adam admonished him to sit still. After the third time Ben bent down and whispered in his son’s ear. “Nicholas, if I have to tell you one more time to stop fidgeting or swinging your feet or anything else I’m taking you outside and riding home on your pony is going to be very uncomfortable. Do you understand little boy?”

“Yes Papa.” Sparky worked very hard for the rest of the time to sit still. He knew his father would make good his promise.

When church let out Sparky ran to play with Sally and some of the other children.   
Gregory also joined in.

Ben glanced up at a commotion that was occurring among the younger children. He saw Adam and Hoss striding in that direction and headed that way too. 

Sparky and another boy older than him and a whole lot bigger were wrestling on the ground. Gregory was trying to pull the two apart and Adam stepped in and grabbing both boys by their collars hauled them to their feet.

“Stop this right now!” Adam shouted shaking both boys hard. Both boys were bleeding and bruised.

Ben strode up, “What’s going on here?!”

Sparky had blood running down his face from his nose and a rapidly swelling right eye. The other boy, Vincent Kelly who was about two years older than Sparky was sporting a cut over his left eye and his eye too was swelling rapidly.

Ben pulled out his handkerchief and began to wipe the blood from Sparky’s face. Holding his head back he gently pinched Sparky’s nose to get the bleeding to stop.

“Ouch! Papa, that hurts!”

“Stay still young man and let me get this bleeding stopped.”

John Kelly grabbed Vincent and placed a handkerchief over the cut on his son’s eye.  
“What happened he demanded of his son.”

“Sparky hit me!”

“You called me a baby!”

“Well you are a baby!”

“Am not!”

“Are too!”

This argument was stopped quickly by both father’s applying a solid swat to their son’s behinds.

“Ouch!” They exclaimed in unison.

Ben eyed his little son and asked, “Sparky, what happened, and I want the truth young man.”

“Uhm… Uh… I punched Vincent for calling me a baby.”  
Ben shook his head. “How many times have I told you young man not to start a fight with someone because they called you a name?”

“I don’t know Papa, lots of times I guess.”

“Well young man, apparently telling you and warning you has not made much of an impression has it?”

“I won’t do it anymore Papa!”

“No Nicholas. Not this time. I’ve spanked you for starting fights before. This time I’m going to embarrass you right in front of everyone. Maybe this will make you think before you start a fight again.”

“No Papa, please don’t spank me in front of everyone!”  
Sparky was frantic. He remembered too late he had been warned that he would get a bare bottom spanking for starting a fight and didn’t want everyone to see his bare bottom getting spanked. 

Ben ignoring the boy, picked him up, walked over to a convenient tombstone in the graveyard sat down, turned his son over his knee and set fire to him. He didn’t bare his bottom knowing this would be embarrassment enough. 

Sparky cried hard at the hard spanking Ben administered. The little boy was terribly embarrassed to have his bottom spanked in front of Sally and Gregory as well as the others at the church. When Ben was through he helped his recalcitrant son up and held him in his arms. When Sparky stopped crying 

Ben walked over and carefully placed him in his saddle.

“Oww!” Papa! My bottom hurts!”

“I’m sorry Nicky, but it is about time you found out that there are serious consequences for starting fights.”

Ben called Gregory and mounting pulled the boy onto the saddle in front of him. The other boys taking their cue from Ben mounted up and began their ride home.

Sparky’s behind stung and he shifted uncomfortably in the saddle. Blaze danced from time to time because of the unaccustomed motion of the boy 

“Sparky, if you can’t sit still, I’ll let Hoss take Gregory and I’ll take you up in front of me to ride the rest of the way home.”

“No Papa, I’ll sit still, but Papa, my bottom hurts.” Sparky whined.

“Nicky, stop whining. If your bottom hurts too much to ride I’ll stop and take you down and you can walk for a while.”

“No Papa, it’ll be all right.”

“Okay, but if I see you shifting in your saddle and see Blaze dancing around again you won’t have a choice. You will find yourself riding with me do you understand?”

“Yes Papa.” The little boy said miserably.

Ben shook his head marveling at the little boy’s stubbornness. 

Chapter 9

When they got home Ben sent Sparky in to Hop Sing for him to tend to his black eye. 

John Kelly had also given his son a sound spanking in the graveyard because Vincent was quite a bit bigger than Sparky and shouldn’t have been teasing the boy either. 

Ben didn’t know if Sparky knew that and when he sent him into the house told him. Sparky felt a little better, but knew he had deserved his spanking. He had had no idea his backside would hurt so much riding his pony home. Usually he was spanked at home and then had a big soft cushion to sit on. The few times he had been spanked away from home he had not been too sore to sit his saddle. He decided he didn’t like having a sore bottom. 

Hop Sing tended to Sparky’s eye and also cleaned and re-bandaged the wound on Gregory’s arm. After lunch Ben let the boys play outside and then called to them.

“Boys, Time to get going if we’re going to get Gregory home and be back in time for supper.”

“Okay Papa.”

Ben packed up Gregory’s things and Sparky begged to be allowed to go along.  
“Does your bottom still hurt?”

“Not anymore Papa.”

“Okay then.”

Ben saddled Blaze and they took off for the mining camp. 

When they arrived Barry Walker was there to greet them.   
“Hello Mr. Cartwright. How did things go?”

“About usual for two very active little boys.”

Barry saw the bandage on Gregory’s arm and Sparky’s black eye.

“These two haven’t been fighting again have they?”

“No Barry. Sparky here got into a fight with an older boy in the church yard this morning because one of the older boys called him a baby. Gregory will tell you about the bandage on his arm.”

Gregory eyed his father and said, “I got hit by a rock because Sparky, Little Joe and I were playing that rocks were bullets. 

“I see.”

Gregory looked very uncomfortable.

“What have you been told about throwing rocks and pebbles young man?”

“Not to.”

“Yes and what did I tell you would happen the next time I caught you doing that?”

“That you were going to switch me.”

“That’s right young man. Let’s go into the house.”

Gregory grimaced, but followed his father inside. Sparky’s eyes widened and rounded at Gregory’s father’s words.   
Once in the house, Gregory brought his father the switch and Barry bent the boy over and applied it generously to his son’s backside. Gregory yelped, begged for the spanking to stop and cried hot tears until his father believed the boy had learned his lesson. When he let him up he hugged the boy to his chest and said, “Let’s go outside so You can apologize to Sparky and Mr. Cartwright for misbehaving.”

“Yes Sir.” Gregory sniffed rubbing his blazing backside. 

Sparky and Ben had heard Gregory getting his spanking and Sparky squirmed uncomfortably. When they came out he could see Gregory was hurting. 

Gregory came and stood in front of Ben and Sparky. He addressed them, “I’m sorry Sparky, Mr. Cartwright.”

“You’re forgiven young man.”

“Gregory if you can’t be well behaved when you visit Mr. Cartwright I won’t let you go again.”

“I’ll be good Pa, I promise.”

“Okay, see that you do. I don’t want to hear you misbehaving like that again.”

“Yes Sir.” Gregory went back into the house. 

Ben and Barry talked for a while and Sparky stayed close. When they left and were riding home Sparky asked, “Papa?”

“Yes Sparky?”

“Would you ever spank me with a switch?”

“Not at your age. You’re too little for that.”

“When will I be big enough?”

“You’ll know the first time I punish you that way.”

“Have you punished the other boys that way?”

“Yes, when they deserved it.”

“Oh.”

Ben just smiled at his son and marveled at his mind. 

When they arrived home Sparky led his pony into the barn after Ben plucked him out of his saddle. Ben supervised Sparky doing the tasks he could for his pony and helping him with the ones he couldn’t just yet. The boy was small for his age, but he was sturdy. 

“Papa?”

“Yes Sparky?”

“Why do the older boys always want to call me a baby?”

Ben smiled to himself at the question. “I’m not sure Sparky, but it might be because you are a bit small for your age.”

“Papa, when will I be big?”

“When it’s time. You’ll grow, don’t worry little one.”

“Papa?”

“Yes?”

“Was Hoss as small as me once?”

Ben laughed. “Once, for about a minute little one.”

Sparky looked very puzzled at this. “Your brother of course was a baby and he was your   
size for about a month or so when he was probably about three years old.”

“You mean like Gregory’s little brother? He’s just four and he’s already taller than me. You know Papa, that’s not fair. Someone younger than me shouldn’t be bigger than me.”

“Well Sparky, that’s something that can’t be helped. You know Hoss is taller and bigger than Adam and Adam is older than Hoss.”

Sparky thought about this for a while. It was true that Hoss was taller and bigger than Adam and he was younger than Adam. “Papa how old was Hoss when he got to be bigger than Adam?”

“Oh, I don’t know, maybe about twelve or thirteen I think.”

“Papa, how did Adam feel about that?”

“I think he respected Hoss by then. Especially the first time Adam tormented Hoss and Hoss punched him out.”

Sparky’s eyes widened and rounded. “Papa, do you mean that Hoss and Adam had a fight?”

“Oh yes, they had a few while growing up. I punished them for it as well.”

“Did you spank them?”

“No, I tanned them.”

“Oh.”

“You ask your brothers about that.”

“Okay.”

They finished putting up the animals and Ben walked his little son back to the house. “Sparky, go into the wash house and get washed up. Hop Sing will have something for us to eat ready very soon. You looked tired out baby. I think after supper you need to go to bed.”

“Papa, I’m not tired. I don’t want to go to bed right after supper. I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Hmm… do you think that fighting in the churchyard this morning wasn’t doing anything wrong?”

Sparky thought about that for a moment. “Papa, you didn’t say I had to go to bed early 

“Maybe not, but that can change very quickly little boy. We aren’t 

Through with our discussion yet my son. I haven’t told you what other punishments you were receiving besides the spanking you were given this morning.”

‘Uh oh, I shouldn’t have said anything. Now Papa is going to give me more punishments.’

“Yes Papa.”

“Nicholas, I want you to know that the only reason I did not give you the bare bottom spanking I had promised you was because I felt that you being spanked in public like that was embarrassment enough. That doesn’t mean however that I might not do just that in public if you start a fight again. Is that understood?”

“Yes Papa.”

Ben eyed his little son and thought for a moment.  
“Nicky, I do believe that sending you to bed early without dessert will be appropriate as well for the next week. 

The little boy looked up at Ben with large grey sad eyes. “Yes Papa.”

“Now, go get washed up.”

“Yes Papa.” A very sorrowful looking little boy trudged out to the wash house.

Ben went in to tell Hop Sing that the littlest Cartwright would not be getting any dessert for the next week. 

Chapter 10 

Sparky was one unhappy little boy that night as he saw everyone else receiving apiece of apple pie, but no apple pie arriving at his place. His large grey eyes teared up. He had never been denied dessert before and it hurt. He had been denied cookies before when he had tried to steal some for Little Joe when Little Joe was being punished by being sent to bed with no supper, but he hadn’t minded that too much, but this, having to sit there and watch everyone else have something he couldn’t… He felt tears forming and tried to blink them back. 

Ben glancing over at the little boy was saddened by his sad little face and the tears, but the child had to learn there were consequences to his behavior. When everyone was finished with their dessert he took Sparky by the hand.  
“Sparky, let’s get you washed up and ready for bed.”

“Yes Papa.”

Adam, Hoss and little Joe had felt very uncomfortable about eating their desserts in front of the little fellow, but knew Pa wouldn’t have approved of them refusing dessert because Sparky couldn’t have any. They sympathized with him though having been in his place more than once in their lives too. 

Sparky survived and a few weeks later after all his troubles were behind him he was his usual happy exuberant self. He played in the piles of falling leaves and when Halloween came around was excited about the possibility of Gregory coming again for another visit. He wanted to play Halloween pranks with his brothers. 

Listening to his brothers he decided he’d come up with Halloween pranks of his own. He decided that when Adam came to bed he would sneak into his room and spill a couple of large glasses of warm water in his bed to make him think he had wet the bed. He would put some of Pa’s shaving soap in Hoss’s boots so when he put them on in the morning they would be all squishy and he would put salt in Little Joe’s tooth powder so when he brushed his teeth it would taste bad. He thought about what he could do to Pa and Hop Sing. He decided he would put lye soap shavings in the coffee pot so the coffee would turn out soapy and put sticker burrs in Pa’s boots. He didn’t think however how his pranks would get him into trouble. For the next several days he watched and prepared. He watched Ben prepare his shaving soap so he would have some idea what to do. He also watched Hop Sing shave soap into the wash tub and how Little Joe used his tooth powder. 

When Halloween Eve came he watched his big brothers sneak out of the house to tend to their mischief. He wandered around the house creating mischief of his own. He sneaked into Hop Sing’s kitchen and taking a knife from the cupboard carefully shaved off several pieces of lye soap into the coffee pot and with his little fingers mixed them with the coffee grounds. He knew Hop Sing prepared the coffee pot the night before so Hop Sing only had to add water and put it on the stove. He would have no idea that the soap had been mixed into the coffee grounds. Sparky found the salt and added a bunch to Little Joe’s tooth powder being very careful to be very quiet as he did so. He heard his Papa snoring and silently slipped into the room and dropped a couple of sticker burrs into his boots and then waited for his brothers to return home so he could fix Hoss’s boots and Adam’s bed. When the older boys came in Sparky yawned. He had almost fallen asleep, but had forced himself to stay awake. Once he heard snoring coming from Hoss’s room He went in with the mug of prepared shaving soap. While the older boys were gone Sparky had climbed up on a chair in the kitchen and scooped out the hot water he had needed into Papa’s shaving mug, adding the shaving soap and mixing it has he had seen his Papa do. The little boy proceeded to goop shaving soap into Hoss’s boots. Then he wiped the excess off his little hands on Hoss’s towel. He had returned the shaving mug to his father’s room, having also wiped it out with the same towel. He was very quiet and very careful with this task as he didn’t want to get caught. He then headed into Adams room bringing the two glasses of warm water he had retrieved from the stove. He had climbed up on the chair again to do this. Sparky had been very careful to watch how Hop Sing got the water out of the stove and had filled two large glasses with the hot water. He had almost dropped one of the glasses because it was a bit hotter than he thought it would be. When he had retrieved the water from the stove to make up the shaving soap he had held the mug by the handle and had not noticed how hot the mug itself had become as when he mixed the soap it had cooled enough to not be too hot. He was prepared for how hot it would be with the second glass. He carefully poured the two glasses of water in the right place in Adam’s bed and hid behind the door, standing in the hall to see what happened. He saw Adam stir and then mutter as he came more fully awake.   
“What the…?”  
Adam came fully awake and saw his bed was wet along with his night shirt in the appropriate spot as if he had wet his bed. When he heard a little giggle he knew what had happened and who the culprit was. He was going to kill one very little brother. Adam hopped up out of bed dripping water as he strode to the door. Sparky seeing Adam heading for the door scurried off to his own room as fast as he could and dived into bed. 

Adam had seen the flurry of a nightshirt disappear into Sparky’s room. He would deal with the littlest Cartwright in the morning. He changed his nightshirt and soaked up as much of the water as he could from his mattress and then flipped it over on its other side to dry so he could have a dry bed to sleep on. His baby brother was going to have one very sore bottom in the morning. 

In the morning Sparky giggled as he heard Hoss’s exclamation when he went to put his boots on. He heard Little Joe sputter and mutter as he got his mouth full of salty tooth powder and Sparky heard his father’s bellow as he put his feet into his boots only to be pricked and the burrs stick to his feet as he pulled them quickly back out. Sparky smothered his giggles in his pillow. When his father came in to help him wash he was not in a good mood. Sparky said nothing looking quite innocent. When they gathered at the breakfast table and Hop Sing poured the coffee Ben noticed a sort of scum floating on top. When he took a tentative sip and spat it out immediately Sparky broke into fits of giggles. Ben looked at the littlest Cartwright in surprise. The other boys all looked at each other in consternation.   
Ben almost laughed out loud. He shook his head. The littlest Cartwright had gotten them all. Well, he was going to learn there was a price to pay for practical jokes. Ben eyed the little mite.  
“Nicholas, what do you know about the coffee young man?”

‘Uh oh, I don’t think Papa thought this was very funny.’

“Uhm… Uh… I put soap in the coffee pot Papa.”

“I see. Why did you do that?”

“To play a trick on you for Halloween Papa.”

“I see. Am I also to assume that you were the one to put the sticker burrs in my boots?

‘Uh oh. I think Papa’s mad.’

“Uhm… yes Papa.”

“Were you the one to put the salt in my tooth powder Nicky?”

‘Uh oh, now Little Joe sounds mad.’

“Uhm… yes Little Joe.”

“Were you the one then who put shaving soap in my boots little one?”

‘Uh oh, now Hoss is not happy with me.’

“Yes Hoss.”

“Were you the one who dumped warm water in my bed to make me think I had wet the bed Nicky?”

‘Oh no, now Adam isn’t looking too pleased with me either.’

“Yes Adam he said in a small voice.

“When breakfast is over you go to your room young man. I’ll be up to deal with you.”

“Yes Papa. 

After breakfast Sparky trudged up to his room and when Ben heard the door close grinned at each of his other boys. They all grinned back and smothered giggles. 

“Pa, you have to give it to the little mite. He sure was inventive” Adam chuckled. I was worried for a few moments when I woke up soaked in the right places. 

“Yeah Pa, I sure wasn’t very happy to find a mouth full of salt this morning.”

“Yeah Pa, I sure didn’t like squishing my feet into that shaving soap.”

“Well at least you didn’t have painful sticker burrs in your boots like I found in mine.”

They all giggled at that. 

“Well… putting soap shavings in the coffee…even I never thought of that.” Little Joe grinned. “Well, I have to go up and deal with the little one, but before I do, what kind of mischief did you boys do last night and what do I have to look forward to today?”

The three of them looked at each other uncomfortably. 

Ben sighed. “I am guessing there’s going to be some restriction happening in the near future?”

“Possibly.” Adam said.

“Any tannings in the near future?”

“No Sir!” All three exclaimed.

“Let’s hope not. Now I have one little boy who will be getting punished for his pranks.”

“Aw, Pa, don’t be too hard on him. After all this is the first time he has played practical jokes on anyone and he was pretty inventive.” Hoss tried. 

“I know. That’s what I’m afraid of. I think I need to nip this in the bud before he gets as good as or better than you three. I am also concerned with him using a knife to shave the soap with and climbing up on the stove to retrieve hot water for the prank he played on you Adam and for getting into my room to get the shaving mug to prepare the shaving soap.”

They all had looks of concern then as their father headed up the stairs. 

Chapter 11

Ben headed up the stairs to the littlest Cartwright’s room.

“Nicky, sit up and look at me.”

“Papa, are you mad at me?”

“Not really Nicky. I’m more concerned about what you did.”

“I’m sorry Papa, I shouldn’t have done all those things to everyone.”

“That doesn’t change the fact that what you did was not acceptable.”

“Yes Papa. Are you going to spank me?”

No Nicky, being this is the very first time you have played practical jokes on anyone.”

The little boy looked visibly relieved. “However, you will apologize to your brothers and Hop Sing.”

“Yes Papa.”

“Nicholas, if you do anything like this again to anyone son I will have to have a very necessary little talk with you. Do you understand?”

“Yes Papa, you will spank me.”

“Yes, that’s right little boy.” Then Ben flipped him over and gave him one hard swat on his behind.

“Ow! What was that for?”

“To remind you that you shouldn’t do these kind of things. Also to remind you that you’re not allowed to climb on things, especially the stove, which I know you had to do to get into the hot water in the stove and for handling a sharp knife which you also know you’re not supposed to do.”

“Yes Papa.” Sparky said unhappily.

Ben tousled his hair then and gave him a hug and tickled him bringing on giggles and a smile to the little mite. 

Sparky sought out his brothers.   
“Adam?”

“Yes little one?”

The little boy looked down at the toes of his shoes and scuffed his toe on the ground. He glanced up at his oldest brother, then said softly, “I’m sorry for wetting your bed.”

Adam reached down and picked up the little tyke and hugged him. “It’s okay Sparky, I forgive you. I’ve played my fair share of practical jokes in my time. In fact, Pa hasn’t discovered the practical jokes that Hoss, Joe and me have played last night yet.”

“Adam, will Papa spank you?”

Adam gulped. He hoped not. He hoped he would just yell at them like he always did. He had shortened his father’s stirrups on his saddle and wouldn’t be able to change the length without a lot of effort. It will be funny for a moment, no telling how Pa would react however. He also hadn’t discovered that his saddle bags were full of frogs, which had been Little Joes contribution or that Hoss had braided and knotted the bridle reins so his father would have to lean way over to ride. 

“What kind of practical jokes did you, Hoss and Little Joe do?”

Adam told the little boy what he, Hoss and Little Joe had done. Sparky giggled then.

“Shh… you don’t want to give us away little one.”  
“I won’t tell Adam.”

“Good, brothers don’t tell on brothers unless we have to.” Adam gave him a hug and   
Sparky sought Hoss next. Hoss was lurking around the barn to see when his father would discover his boy’s mischief. “Hoss?”

Hoss jumped guiltily, “Yes Sparky?”

“I’m sorry for putting shaving soap in your boots.”

“That’s okay little one.” Hoss reached down and picked up the littlest Cartwright and tousled his hair. Hoss forgives ya.”

“Thank you Hoss. Adam told me the tricks you have for Pa. Do you think he’ll spank you for them?”

“I don’t think so, I think he’ll think they’re funny. He might give us some extra chores ta do though.” 

“I hope you don’t get into any trouble Hoss.”

“Me too.”

He put Sparky down and Sparky sought out Little Joe. Little Joe was also lurking around near the barn. ” Little Joe?”

“What Sparky?”

“I’m sorry for putting salt in your tooth powder.”

“That’s okay Sparky. I’ve done worse things.”

“Really? Like what?”

“I’m not telling you little brother. If I told you those things you might just get the idea to do them and then Pa will have my hide.”

“Won’t Papa spank you for the frogs?

“You know about those?”

“Adam told me.”

“I’m going to kill him.”

Ben came out about then and seeing Sparky talking to Little Joe knew the child was apologizing to his brothers as he had been told to do. 

Ben went to take care of Buck and seeing him all saddled up for him already didn’t think anything of it until he tried to get into the saddle. He had to put his leg up quite high and when he got into the saddle he found that not only were his knees practically up to his chin, but he had to lean way over to grasp the reins. He slid down from the saddle confused for a moment. He heard a strange sound coming from his saddle bag and when he opened it, jumped back when a bevy of frogs jumped out all over the place. 

“Adam! Eric! Joseph! Get in here pronto!”

All three boys looked at each other. Pa sounded furious.

They went to stand in front of Pa. Sparky watched from the sidelines never seeing all his older brothers in trouble at the same time. He hadn’t heard Pa call Hoss Eric before and knew when he called Little Joe Joseph that Little Joe was in big trouble. 

“Just what did the three of you think you were doing playing pranks like these hmm…?   
Look at me when I’m talking to you!” Three sets of eyes, one hazel, one blue and one green snapped up to look at their father. Sparky looked on in amazement. He found it interesting that his brothers seem to do the same thing as he did by not wanting to look at Papa when he was mad.   
“I want to know whose idea these little pranks were.”

Adam cleared his throat. “Shortening your stirrups was mine Sir.”

“Mine was shortening your reins Pa.” Hoss replied.

“Mine was putting the frogs in your saddle bag Pa.”

Ben paced up and down in front of the three of them.   
“I just got done lecturing your little brother about playing pranks and I find the three of you doing nothing better. A fine example you set for Sparky! I suspect he knew what you three were up to and decided to try some things on his own!”

All three fidgeted under their father’s glare now looking a bit ashamed. 

“Since the three of you are behaving no better than your five-year-old brother I will treat you as your five-year-old brother!”

“All three looked at each other and flinched at this pronouncement.

“First Adam, you will fix the stirrups on my saddle. Then you will repair every piece of tack in this barn that needs repairing. That is saddles, bridles, halters and any pieces of harness. Eric, you will clean every piece of tack in the barn. Little Joe, you will collect every frog that is loose here in the barn and then you will muck out every stall and rake the yard as well. When you’re all done with those chores you will all three come into the house and meet in the great room where I will deliver the rest of your punishment!”

Ben then stalked off leaving three very penitent sons standing in the barn.

“Adam, what do ya think Pa meant by that?”

“I have the feeling Hoss that we are going to be treated exactly like Pa said, five-year olds.”

“Ya don’t mean…?”

“I’m pretty sure that is exactly what Pa means.”

“Adam, ya can’t be serious! Pa won’t take the two of ya over his knee would he?”

“I think so Little Joe.”

Sparky stood by listening to his brothers talk with his large grey eyes widening and rounding. 

‘Papa wouldn’t turn his older brothers over his knee and spank them would he?’

Sparky headed to the house to leave his older brothers to their chores. He still had to apologize to Hop Sing for ruining his coffee. He sought out the little China man, finding him in the kitchen. 

“Hop Sing?”

“What little boy want?”

“Hop Sing, I’m sorry for putting soap in the coffee this morning.”

“Little boy should be; soap not taste good. Hop Sing should make little boy eat piece of soap to remind him not to do such a thing again.”

Sparky paled at this. He had never had to have his mouth washed out with lye soap and didn’t think he would want to taste soap. 

“Hop Sing, I’m really sorry. I promise I won’t ever do anything like that again. Please don’t make me taste a piece of soap.”

Hop Sing looked at the little boy who was looking truly sorry and said, “Hop Sing forgive little boy this time. If little boy ever put soap in anything it not belong in again boy will be eating a piece of soap understand?”

“Yes Hop Sing. I promise, I won’t do that ever again.”

Hop Sing then gave the little mite a big hug and sent him on his way with a stinging swat on his behind with his wooden spoon. 

When the boys had completed their punishment chores they gathered in the great room as their father had ordered. Sparky was there too. He wanted to see what would happen. When Ben walked in he eyed all four of his sons. “Sparky, I think you might want to go down to the barn and visit with Blaze.”

“Why Papa? He didn’t look lonely earlier.”

Ben eyed his youngest child. Sparky, I think you would rather be down there than here joining your brothers.”

Sparky’s large eyes widen and rounded at what his father had implied. He was going to spank his older brothers. “Yes Papa.” Sparky ran down to the barn as Ben opened the front door for him and closed it firmly behind him.

“Now boys,” he grinned, “I believe I said something about treating you like five year olds.”

All three boys squirmed. Ben reached out, grasped Adam and turning him gave him five hard swats to his backside and then escorted him to a corner of the room and said, “You may stand in the corner until I tell you you may leave it.” Adam stood where his father put him flushing in total embarrassment and rubbing his behind. Sparky was right. Pa sure could swat hard. He remembered thinking not too long ago that he had been glad that he’d been too old to be stood in a corner any longer. He realized he had been wrong. He was doing exactly that. Standing in a corner with having been swatted as well. He guessed they would never be too old to accept whatever punishment Pa saw fit to mete out. 

Ben gave each of his other sons the same treatment and he sat at his desk watching all three of his sons standing in the corners he had put them in. After a half hour, the longest time he could allow Sparky to be down in the barn unsupervised, told each of the boys they could come out of their corners. He told them there would be no dessert for them either for the next week and they would all go to bed directly after supper. None of them dared to defy him on any of this and just went on down to the barn to make sure the littlest Cartwright wasn’t getting into mischief. 

When Adam, Hoss and Little Joe entered they were surprised to find their little brother sitting in a corner of the barn his arms around his knees and his little blonde head resting on his knees. He was huddled into a little ball. Adam reached down and placed a hand on the little tyke’s head. “Sparky?” He asked tentatively, “Are you all right?”

The little one looked up at his oldest brother his face tear streaked. Adam leaned down and picking up the little mite cuddled him in his arms. Sparky then threw his arms around Adam’s neck and burying his face in Adam’s shoulder cried hot tears. 

Adam was mystified. He had no idea what had brought this on. He walked over to a hay bale and sat down placing the little boy in his lap.   
“What’s the matter Sweet Pea?”

Sparky shook his head and said nothing, continuing to cry. Adam glanced up and saw the worried faces of his younger brothers. They too were at a loss as to why the little one was so upset. 

Adam continued to soothe Sparky until he stopped crying. “Sparky, why are you crying?” Adam asked softly.

“Because Papa spanked all of you.” Sparky sniffed. 

Adam schooled his face. He wanted to laugh if Sparky thought that the five hard swats Pa had given them with some corner time had been a spanking. He knew to take the little tyke’s worry seriously. 

“Sparky, Pa didn’t really hurt us. He gave each of us five hard swats, then stood us in a corner for a while. By the way, little brother, you’re right Pa swats pretty hard.”

Sparky looked up into Adam’s hazel eyes and seeing the truth there that he hadn’t really been hurt relaxed some. Then he looked at Hoss and Little Joe and could see that they too were not unhappy and felt a little better. 

“We do have to go to bed right after supper and no dessert for the next week though.” 

“Really Hoss? That’s really mean. I know how much you like dessert.”  
Hoss grinned despite himself. “Sparky, it won’t be the first time I’ve had to go without dessert. I don’t like it, but I’ll survive it.”

“Really Hoss? You’ve gone without dessert before?”

“Uh Huh, lots of times during my life when Pa has gotten upset with me. Adam and Little Joe too.”

Hoss reached out and picked up the little tyke from Adam’s lap and tossed him up in the air and then tickled him. Then he passed him to Little Joe who hugged him and said,   
“Sparky, Pa was upset with us, but not really mad. Do you remember when he tanned me over the ponies?”

“Uh Huh.”

“Then he was really mad. If he’d of been really mad at us he wouldn’t have just given us each a few swats and put us in a corner. He just wanted to make a point that what we had done was pretty childish and so he treated us like children. The going to bed early and no dessert is also part of treating us like children too.”

“Oh.” Sparky thought for a minute, “Little Joe, is that like when Papa punished me, not allowing me to have dessert for a week after having the fight in the churchyard?”

“Yep. Like that.”

Sparky looked a bit happier now. “Well, we’d better get the rest of these chores done before Pa really gives all of us a sore bottom.”

Chapter 12

The boys all set to taking care of their chores and Sparky played in the barn. 

The days continued unseasonably warm for late October and early November. Ben took Sparky to the Silver Eagle mine. “Papa? May Gregory come to spend the weekend again?”

“I suppose so, if it’s all right with his parents.”

“I would really like that Papa. I get bored being home with only Hop Sing for company all day.”

“Well little one, we’ll see.”

Ben rode up into the mine and Sparky came alongside riding Blaze. 

Gregory Walker seeing Sparky and having just been released from school for recess ran over to him. “Hi Sparky, how are you?”

“I’m fine Gregory. How about you?”

“Okay I guess. My little brother Ricky is a pain and my older brothers Brian and Danny boss me around all the time.”

“Sounds like my brothers too.”

After a while, the school teacher Clara Travis called the children back to the schoolroom and Gregory headed off back to school. 

Sparky looked after Gregory and became angry. He went to the stream and picked up pebbles and rocks throwing them with all his little mite across the stream. 

Ben concluding the business he had with Mike Calahan , the mine foreman, looked for the littlest Cartwright. He found Sparky down by the stream throwing rocks. 

“Hi there Sparky, what’s the matter?”

“Nothing!”

“Whoa there little one, that doesn’t sound like nothing to me.”  
Ben scooped up his child and sitting on a boulder sat Sparky in his lap.   
“What’s wrong baby?”

“Papa, no one wants to play with me anymore. Little Joe goes to school and I don’t get to play with him because he’s gone and when he comes home he has chores and homework and no time for me. Adam and Hoss play a little, but they are gone all day with you and too tired at night to play with me. Hop Sing is busy all day taking care of the cooking and house. He doesn’t play with me either. Now I come here and Gregory is in school and can’t play!” Ben understood the little mite’s dilemma. He had no one on his own level to play with. The younger children at the mine were no challenge for Sparky and he didn’t want to have much to do with them. Ben thought for a moment then said, “Sparky, if Mr. Walker is agreeable how would you like to spend a week here with him and his family?”

Sparky brightened up a bit, then looked a bit worried. “A whole week Papa? That’s a long time.” 

“Hmm… well, if you find it to be too long you can always ask Mr. Walker to bring you home sooner.” 

Sparky thought about that a moment and then seemed a bit happier at the prospect. “May I stay then Papa?”

“I’ll have to ask. Having another child in the household is a pretty big responsibility.”

“Please Papa, ask if I may.”

“Okay, if Mr. Walker says it’s okay you’ll have to follow all the rules or he will have my permission to deal with you as he sees fit is that understood?”

“Does that mean he can spank me if I’m naughty?”

“Exactly, yes, he may spank you if he thinks you need to be spanked for something.” 

“Oh.”

“You be good and you won’t have to worry about it okay?”

“Yes Papa.”

“Nicholas, no fighting. If you start a fight with anyone Mr. Walker will have permission to spank your bare bottom do you understand?”

Sparky’s eyes widened and rounded at this. Gregory’s father would probably spank him even harder than Papa. His whole hand would cover his bottom with one smack, he was so big.

“Yes Papa, I won’t be naughty. I don’t think I want Mr. Walker to spank me. He might even spank me with a switch.”

“No Sparky, he won’t use a switch, but I can guarantee you little boy that if you do get a spanking for starting a fight I promise you will be getting a bare bottom spanking from me and I may even use the hairbrush on your backside this time.”

“I’ll be good Papa, I promise. That hairbrush hurts.”

Ben smiled, realizing that Sparky remembered the one stinging swat he had given him with the hairbrush after the bed jumping incident. “You remember that all the rules you have at home apply here as well. No lying, no disrespect, no disobedience. You do the things you’re supposed to and don’t do anything you’re not supposed to do and things will be fine. You listen to Mrs. Walker and Mr. Walker just like you would listen to me or Hop Sing.”

“Will Mrs. Walker smack me with a wooden spoon like Hop Sing?”

“Yes, I’m sure she will.”

“Oh.”

Ben picked Sparky up and said, “Don’t worry Little One, you just do what you’re supposed to and stay away from the things you know you’re not supposed to do and you will be just fine.”

“Yes Papa.”

Ben sought out Barry Walker and after conferring briefly with his wife Barry said, “Ben, we’d love to have Sparky stay the week with us. We even have some of Ricky’s clothes that are too small for him, but would fit little Sparky just fine.”

“Okay then Barry. Please watch that he doesn’t ride his pony until I come back to get him. If he misbehaves feel free to punish him in any way you choose. The only thing I ask is not to discipline him with anything but your hand. You may get directly to the seat of the problem if need be if you get my meaning.”

Barry grinned. “Yes, Ben, I know exactly what you mean. A little bare skin can change an attitude pretty quickly.”

Thanks Barry. I appreciate it.”

“Any time.”

Ben took Sparky into his arms before he left. This would be the longest time he had been separated from his son since he had had to go to Sacramento a couple of months ago. “Sparky, if you get homesick, want your Papa real bad, all you have to do is tell Mister or missus Walker and they will make sure you get to come home okay?”

“Papa?”  
Can’t you stay with me?”

Ben had second thoughts about leaving him. “Are you scared Sparky? Do you want to come home with me right now?”

“No Papa, I just want you to stay too.”

Ben smiled at the child. “No sweet pea. There are lots of things that I need to take care of at the house. You’re not so far away as the Walkers can’t bring you home if they have to okay?”

“Okay Papa.

Ben gave Sparky a couple of pats on his bottom and let him down. 

Gregory ran out then and grabbed Sparky excitedly by the hand and said, Come on Sparky, you’re gonna bunk in with me and Ricky. 

Sparky went into the house and Ben seeing this thought this was a good time to leave and got up on Buck and rode away. 

Sparky was introduced to Ricky, Brian and Danny.   
“Boy, ya sure are a little mite. Ricky is even bigger than you.” Gregory’s brother Danny said.

Sparky began to get upset, but decided he had better not get into any trouble or his Papa would be mad at him.

After Sparky got settled in Mrs. Linda Walker brought some of Ricky’s outgrown clothes. They were practically brand new as he had grown so fast they had hardly been worn. She had under drawers, jeans, shirts, socks, and even a little leather belt Sparky could wear. When she had shown him where he was to put his clothes she put them there for him. The two boys went to take off when Linda Walker called to them, “Boys, come help to set the table.”

“Aw shucks. She’s good at catching us for chores before we get to go out and play.”

Sparky put forth his best manners saying yes ma’am and no ma’am and yes sir and no sir. 

Sparky was put to bed by Linda and she was the one to come to him when he had a nightmare the very first night he stayed with them.  
Sparky was embarrassed and Linda helped him to understand that there was nothing to be embarrassed about. Being at the mine was apt to trigger bad dreams. 

The next morning Sparky and Ricky played together while Gregory, Danny and Brian went to school. Barry had gone on to his work and Linda watched over the children. She was a little worried as well as proud that she and her husband had been entrusted with the care of the boss’s youngest son. 

After Ricky had pushed Sparky down for the third time that morning his patience began to wear thin. He realized Ricky was a year younger than him, but was two years older than him in size. Linda saw her son push Sparky down and striding outside stood over her son.   
Ricky, why did you push Sparky?”

“Because he’s so small Mama. He’s easy to push over. See?”  
Her son again pushed Sparky onto the ground. This time Sparky hit the side of his face and scraped his cheek. He came up spitting mad and went for Ricky. Linda easily picked up and contained the little boy. She understood his anger. She eyed her little son. Ricky, you go into the kitchen and stand in the corner young man. I’ll be into deal with you in a few minutes. “But Mama!”

She set Sparky down for a moment and applied a hard swat to the seat of Ricky’s jeans.   
“Ow Mama!”

“Now get!”  
She picked up Sparky as Ricky ran into the cabin. She examined the scrape on his cheek and now the bruise forming on the child’s fair skin. “Does it hurt much baby?”

Sparky blinked back tears. “No Mrs. Walker.”

Linda knew different. She brought Sparky into the kitchen and saw that her naughty child was standing in the corner as he had been told. She cleaned the scrape and applied cold compresses to the bruise. Then she set Sparky in front of her and began to examine him for other bruises. When she found a couple on his back, arm, leg and his backside from being pushed down she became upset by Ricky. She treated Sparky’s bruises with which hazel and put him down for a nap. Then she took her own little boy out of his corner and said, “Ricky, you young man will learn not to bully children smaller than you. She placed the boy over her knee, bared his bottom and applied her wooden spoon to good effect.   
The little boy was wailing and crying when she was through with teaching him his lesson. 

At lunch Sparky was feeling a bit better and noticed Ricky squirming on his chair and surmised he had gotten spanked for what he had done to him. Sparky said nothing as he knew if he did he might get spanked too.

When Gregory came home from school he did his homework and chores. Then he and Sparky played for a while and Linda called the children to supper. Barry had learned about his youngest son’s antics that day and had also given him several solid swats to his backside. He called Sparky to him. “Sparky, come here son.”

Sparky approached the huge man with a little trepidation. Barry hugged him and proceeded to examine the bruises he had received as a result of his son’s poor behavior.   
“I hope you don’t hurt too much Sparky. Ricky has been properly dealt with and won’t be pushing anyone no less you down in the near future.”

“Did you spank him Mr. Walker?”

“Yep, spanked that bottom good.”

Sparky dropped the subject. He didn’t want to experience a good spanking from Mr. Walker. That would hurt and then Papa would also spank him and that too would hurt.

Chapter 13

One day about midway through the week Gregory asked Sparky, “Sparky, would you like to come to school with me today?”

“I don’t know. What do you do in school?”

“Learn all kind of interesting things.”

“I guess so.”

“Don’t be scared Sparky, Miss Travis is really nice.”

Nicky stepped into the unfamiliar cabin with Gregory with a little apprehension. Gregory had told his parents he had asked Miss Travis permission to bring Sparky with him and she had said yes. 

“Miss Travis, this is my friend Sparky.”

“Well, welcome Sparky. Gregory tells me you’ve never been in a school before.”

Sparky looked at the young woman. She didn’t look any older than Adam.   
“No Ma’am.” he answered politely. 

“Why don’t you turn around and introduce yourself to the children?”

Sparky turned around and looked at all the children. They looked friendly enough. “My name is Nicholas Brett Gibson Cartwright, but everyone calls me Sparky because I have a temper.”

Miss Travis was shocked at the name. She had had no idea that the child that Gregory wanted to bring was her employers little boy, and the child of the Green Backs mine. The class laughed at Sparky’s remark about having a temper.   
She smiled at the boy and placed him at a desk in the front of the class with her other younger children. She wondered what the child knew. She gave him a pencil and paper. He drew pictures then and occupied himself while she taught her classes. At recess she shooed the children outside. She glanced at the pictures the child had drawn. One was of a house with animals, one was of people, she assumed his family as he had drawn what looked like two men and four boys and a picture of a black hole with a man and a woman. This picture looked very sinister and she wondered at it. 

When the children came back in she noticed Sparky had become bored and was very distracted He began to wander around the room and disturb the other children. She called Gregory up to the front of the school room and suggested he take Sparky back to his house as it seemed he had all of school as he could handle for the day. Gregory did as he was told. 

Miss Travis thought about talking to Mr. Cartwright about her observations. The boy would probably need to be exposed to school a little at a time. If he threw the boy into a full day of school from the very beginning, the child would have significant problems. 

Gregory and Sparky played every night and Ricky had stopped bullying him and they played during the day. The older boys teased a little, but were kind to the little boy. They delighted in picking him up and toting him around because he was so cute and little. 

One evening, about two days before Ben was coming back to retrieve Sparky he and   
Gregory were playing in the living room with Gregory’s soldiers. Ricky all of a sudden barged in on the boys and started taking their soldiers and throwing them around. 

Gregory hit Ricky, yelling at him. Ricky hit Gregory back and when Gregory pushed Ricky he fell onto Sparky pushing him down hard. Sparky in a quick temper pushed Ricky down with all his might, having been angry for Ricky pushing him down earlier   
that week and before long all three boys were fighting. 

Barry pulled all three boys apart and landed a hard swat on each of their backsides. When he swatted Sparky on the behind it felt like an explosion had erupted back there. Sparky had never been spanked with a paddle, but if he had it would have felt exactly like that. Barry’s hand was so large it covered all of Sparky’s little behind with one blow. “Ow!” Sparky rubbed his bottom. 

“Now I want to know what is going on here?”

Gregory told his father, still rubbing his backside about what Ricky had done and then the ensuing fight among the three boys. Barry eyed them all. He took Ricky by the arm and flipping him over his knee spanked his bottom hard until the little boy cried and begged for his spanking to stop. Barry only stopped when he believed his son had learned his lesson. Then he spanked Gregory the same and Gregory rubbed his stinging backside tears falling. Then Barry turned to Sparky, “your turn young man.”

Sparky looked up at Barry a bit fearfully. 

Barry knew to take care. He was so small that he didn’t need much of a spanking to get his point across and he didn’t want the boss to be mad at him for bruising his boy’s bottom.  
He flipped Sparky over his knee. Sparky’s hands flew to his backside in an effort to cover his bottom and protect it from the assault it was about to experience. Barry gently removed the little boy’s hands pinning both wrists to the small of the boy’s back with one hand. He brought down his other hand sharply across the little bottom. He didn’t use but enough force to give the little mite a bit of a sting. Barry had only given Sparky five moderate swats, fewer and a lot less hard than his own boys. 

Sparky felt the stinging swats and cried. Once Barry was finished he set the little boy on his feet. Sparky thought he had gotten spanked pretty good with his backside stinging verses just how hard the other boys had gotten spanked. 

After that Sparky was very wary of Barry and how he behaved. He didn’t want another spanking from him. He hoped he wouldn’t tell Papa because Papa would spank him again for misbehaving at someone else’s house. He knew his Papa wouldn’t like that very much. 

Sparky’s other bruises faded pretty well and he was very well behaved. He was glad that he hadn’t started the fight if Mr. Walker told Papa about it. He had only been a participant. That didn’t mean Papa might not spank him, but he wouldn’t spank him with the hairbrush. 

When Ben rode up Sparky spied him and ran to him and flung himself into his arms. 

“Hi Papa!”

“Hi yourself. How are things going?”

“Okay.”

Ben saw the scrape and the fading bruise on Sparky’s cheek. He eyed his son sternly, “You haven’t been starting any fights again have you?”

“No Papa.”

“Then where did you get this bruise?” Ben gently touched the scrape and bruise on Sparky’s cheek.

“From Ricky. He pushed me down and I hit my face. He had to stand in the corner and got a spanking from Mrs. Walker and Mr. Walker too.”

“I see. Have you been behaving yourself?”

Sparky looked down at his boot tips. “Mostly.”

“What kind of mischief were you into?”

“Uhm… Gregory, Ricky and me were in a fight. Mr. Walker gave us all one good swat to stop it and then he spanked us all.”

“Hmm… I see…” Ben crossed his arms over his chest and eyed his son significantly.

“Papa! I didn’t start the fight. Ricky did and I kind of got caught up in it. That’s all.”

“Okay.”

At that moment Linda Walker came out and smiled. “Mr. Cartwright, Sparky was a delight to have. He got into a couple of things with Ricky pushing him down, that’s how he got his bruises and had to be spanked only once when the three boys ended up fighting because of Ricky. Otherwise he was a very respectful and obedient child and I wouldn’t mind him spending some time with us again.”

Ben then smiled at the littlest Cartwright and picking him up again hugged him tight. “We missed you Little one. It was too quiet without you.”

Really Papa?”

“Really.” Ben gave Sparky a pat on his bottom and said, go wash up because we need to get going back Sparky.”

“Yes Papa.”

With Sparky gone Ben asked Linda, was he any trouble and be truthful.”

“Really Mr. Cartwright. He was no trouble. He had a nightmare the first night he was here, but nothing more and he got upset with Ricky only after he pushed him down for about the fourth time. He was easy to contain and there were no further incidents until the fight. I do think he enjoyed pushing Ricky down for once in a mini free for all or mini brawl, but Barry made it very clear to all three boys that fighting was not acceptable behavior. He gave our two boys a good sound spanking and was careful to make sure he got his point across to Sparky, but he didn’t give him as many whacks or as hard.”

Ben smiled at this man being that considerate. He would bet that the first swat he had used to stop the fight had not been gentle though.   
“Thank you Linda and tell Barry thank you for me as well. I would wait, but the weather looks like it wants to turn and I think I’d better get going. 

“You go on home now Mr. Cartwright.” 

Ben strode toward the corral and prepared Blaze for riding. 

Sparky went up to Mrs. Walker.

“Mrs. Walker, thank you for letting me stay with you. I’m sorry about the fight and I promise to try not to get into another one again.”

Linda bent down and picked up the little boy and gave him a big hug. ” Don’t you worry honey. I loved having you here and you can come back anytime you want to. You know now that if you misbehave you will receive the same consequences that the other boys do, don’t you?”

“Yes Ma’am.”

She patted his behind and tousled his hair and then let him down.

***

Clara Travis heading for the school saw Benjamin Cartwright and headed toward him. “Good Morning Mr. Cartwright.”

“Good morning Miss Travis, how is everything going here?”

“Just fine Sir. The children are wonderful and I am being treated very well. I wanted to speak to you for a moment however.”

“Yes, what’s the trouble?”

“Oh, no trouble, I just wanted to speak to you about your son.”

Ben looked puzzled. What had Sparky done now? Hmm…

“I had the opportunity to have him in my class one morning. Gregory Walker asked if he could bring him and I said it was all right. He sat with some of my younger students. He doesn’t appear to have much learning. He also gets easily distracted and bored. Before the morning was over I had to send him back to the Walker’s because he wouldn’t sit still and wandered around the schoolroom. I know he doesn’t attend school yet, but I would suggest he start school with only a short time at first and lengthen the time gradually. He needs things to attract his attention as well. I believe he is quite bright and this may be part of why he was easily bored. I think he’s the kind of child who can get into quite a bit of mischief because of that. I just thought you may want to know my observations before you start him in school if you are planning to do that real soon.”

“Thank you Miss Travis. I’ll keep your suggestions and observations in mind.”

***

Ben walked over to his little son. “Sparky, you ready to go?”

“Yes Papa.”

The little tyke was bundled up warm. He had a sweater on underneath his navy blue coat and his red knit hat scarf and mittens. He looked so adorable that Ben’s heart swelled with pride. He picked up the little boy and hugged him tight. Then he walked over and plopped him into Blaze’s saddle and they headed for home. 

Chapter 14

The wind became sharper and Ben could smell snow on the way. He glanced up worriedly at the sky dark and heavy with snow laden clouds. He glanced over at his young son noticing him shivering a bit in his saddle.   
“Are you cold Sparky?”

“A little Papa, but I’m okay.”

About halfway to the ranch the storm hit. Snow fell with a vengeance. The wind whipped it hard into their eyes stinging their faces. Ben could barely see the little boy and his horse riding right next to him. Ben turned, “Nicky, I’m going to take your reins from you.”

“No Papa! I want to ride by myself!”

Ben slowed Buck and rode closer to the boy. “Nicholas, hand me your reins boy.”  
The little boy refused. Ben reached out to snatch the reins and the nightmare began. Buck slipped and went down bringing Ben with him. Ben having just caught hold of the pony’s reins caused the pony to slip and go down as well knocking Sparky out of the saddle. 

Sparky felt himself slip from the saddle and then a sharp pain in his head. The little boy lost consciousness. He tumbled down the side of the mountain. He tumbled over and over bouncing off rocks and boulders until he rolled into a huge boulder which stopped his tumble. 

Ben jumped up from the ground, but could see and hear nothing.   
“Sparky! Sparky!” Cried Ben. He listened intently, but heard nothing. He got down on his hands and knees and crawled around the ground near the horses. He did not find his little son. He crawled a little further and to his horror came to the drop off at the edge of the trail less than a foot from where his son’s pony had been standing. He recognized where they were now and stayed there frozen in his horror. He realized that his five-year-old son had gone over the edge of the mountain. He sat there frozen in place for a long time. He wanted to do nothing but to stay there forever. He cried out in anguish his cries swallowed by the heavily falling snow. He thought about crawling down the slope to look for the child, but recognized it was fruitless. He couldn’t see a foot in front of him and… well… Ben knew his little boy was gone.   
Tears overcame Benjamin Cartwright and froze on his face as he moaned and wanted to lay down and let the snows cover him over and take him away forever. 

Buck nosed him as well as the little pony. Ben realized he needed to go on home and get help. He would get the boys, bring them back to this spot. They would comb this mountainside until they found his little boy. No matter what he was bringing his little boy home. 

*****

A small band of Paiute were traveling along a rarely used trail returning to their winter camp after a successful hunting expedition. Little Feather at fifteen was proud to be allowed to come and to help her mother, One Who Speaks Easy. They were pulling the travois of the dressed meat., Her cousin, Straight Arrow at twenty-five was an accomplished hunter and her father, Willow Painter, led the party. Grey Pebble, Little Feather’s brother, at sixteen felt very proud to be a part of this hunting party. As the snow fell and thickened they walked faster trying to get to camp before the weather got so bad they would be unable to find their way. The snow was falling heavily and it was hard to see. Little Feather tripped over something solid at the foot of the boulder that marked the trail. As she picked herself up she noticed a red woolen mitten sticking up out of the snow. As she bent to pick it up she was shocked to find a little hand encased in it. 

“Mama! Look! There’s a child buried here in the snow! I think he’s hurt pretty bad!”

One Who Speaks Easy went over to where her daughter was crouching. She swept away the snow and unburied a small child. She brushed away the snow from the youngster’s face. “Yes, Little Feather, let me see the child.”

One Who Speaks Easy bent down and picked up the little cold unmoving body. She held him up to her face. She felt a warm breath on her cheek.   
“The child lives.” She noticed a bruise above the little boy’s eye and a swelling on his temple. “He needs to be warm, he is as cold as the snow that is covering him.” Pulling out a buffalo robe she wrapped the still form of the child in it. He is so small he can ride with the meat. She strapped him to the travois. They would be to their camp soon and she would care for him there. 

Willow Painter, Straight Arrow and Grey Pebble came to see what was keeping the women.

“Leave him.” Straight Arrow said. glancing at the child bundled in the buffalo robe and being strapped to the travois. 

“No Straight Arrow, he is but a baby.”

He is a white child. White man come and bring trouble to the Paiute. 

“We cannot leave child to freeze to death. Child is very young.” One Who Speaks Easy defended. 

“We will take child to Winnemucca. Chief can decide about child.” Willow Painter interrupted. 

The little hunting party continued on their way to the winter camp.

*****

Ben arrived at the Ponderosa in a state of shock. Hoss and Adam seeing their father finally coming into the yard after dark went out to meet him and were shocked by what they saw. Adam had not seen his father in this state since Marie had had her accident. When he noticed the pony’s empty saddle ice gripped Adam’s heart. 

‘Please God, no! Let it not be true that something had happened to the little mite.’

Adam’s fears were soon realized. 

“Adam, Hoss, get your mounts. We have to find him.”

“What happened Pa?”

“My baby is buried in the snow on the side of the mountain somewhere and I won’t rest until we bring him home.”  
Ben brought Buck into the barn and immediately began to saddle another mount.

Adam put a hand on his father’s arm. ” Pa, we can’t go right now. The storm is still raging. We’ll all be dead.”

Adam was shocked as his father lashed out at him striking him across the face hard.   
“You’ll sacrifice your baby brother for your own hide!”

“No, Pa, I didn’t mean it like that!” Adam cried putting a hand to his face. “I only meant that it will be easier when the storm breaks because we’ll be able to see better!”

“Adam, get out of my sight!” Ben continued to saddle his new mount. Hoss coming in then and seeing this glanced at his brother and with a slight nod from Hoss they tackled Ben together and securing him carried him between them into the house. Ben fought like   
a wildcat and his sons contained him. Hop Sing shocked at the happenings realized there was something very wrong. He got one of his potions down his boss and when he became 

quiet the boys brought their father up to his room. 

Little Joe was pale and subdued. He wasn’t quite sure what was going on, but it didn’t look good. 

Once Ben was out the boys took turns watching him. Hoss had gone out and settled the horses and placed the little pony in its stall. The little animal looked so forlorn. His little brother’s saddle bags were still on the pony and Hoss brought them in and put them in Sparky’s room untouched. 

“Hoss?” Little Joe asked hesitantly.

” Yes Little Joe?”

“What happened?”

“I don’t quite know Little Joe. Apparently something has happened to Sparky.” 

“It must be something really bad Hoss.” Little Joe said with tears sparkling in his green eyes. 

“Yeah Little brother, real bad.” Hoss gathered his little brother into his arms and Little   
Joe cried heartbrokenly into his big brother’s chest. Hoss brought Little Joe up to his room and put him to bed. 

Hoss went into his father’s bedroom to see Adam sitting with him. “How is he Adam?”

“I don’t know Hoss. I haven’t seen him like this since Marie died. I don’t know what happened out there on the trail, but with Sparky not being with Pa it has to be something horrible.”  
Adam wiped away tears from his own eyes. Hoss noticed the bruise on Adam’s cheek.   
“You all right Adam?”

“Yes Hoss. I don’t know if Pa will ever be though.”

Chapter 15

As the little hunting party arrived at their winter camp Willow Painter made the women stop the travois at the chief’s Teepee. “We will ask Winnemucca about the child before we care for him.”

“Please husband, after all he is just a very small child. I really want to care for him.”

“Don’t beg me woman. I will do as chief says. “Willow Painter made himself known and the chief gave him permission to enter. Willow Painter raised the flap to the shelter and entered. 

“Great Chief Winnemucca, we have done well with the hunting. We have brought back enough meat to feed many families.”

“I am glad that your hunt was successful.”

Great Chief, on the way back from the hunting grounds the women came across a white child. The child has been hurt badly. The women wish permission to take care of the child.”

“Where is this child?”

“The child is strapped to the travois.”

“I will see child, then make my decision.”

“Would Chief like me to bring child in so Chief does not have to go out in cold?”

“Yes, that is good. Bring child to me.”

Willow Painter stepped out of the chief’s teepee.   
His wife and daughter looked at him as he exited. “Chief wants to see child.”

One Who Speaks Easy untied the still unconscious child wrapped in a buffalo robe from the travois and handed him gently to her husband. She looked at him with warm brown pleading eyes. 

“I will do my best.” Her husband said and taking the child from her stepped into the Chief’s teepee.

When Willow Painter stepped inside with the bundled child Winnemucca took the young one from Willow Painter. He drew back the robe to see the face of a very young child. The blonde hair was sticky with dried blood. He noticed the bruise on the youngster’s temple and above his eye. He, like One Who Speaks Easy held the child up to his face. Once he felt the warm breath on his cheek smiled.   
“The child still lives. This child has a strong spirit.” Winnemucca unwrapped the youngster from the buffalo robe and saw the boy dressed in a good quality navy blue coat, red knitted hat and mittens with a red knitted scarf wrapped around the child's neck. He saw when he unbuttoned the little boy’s coat and sweater that the child was wearing jeans just a little too big for him as well as a shirt that was the same. He noticed the good quality leather riding boots that the child was wearing and thought it interesting. He thought the young one to be about four years old.   
“Did you find a pony nearby this child?”

“No Chief, there was no sign of a pony.”

“Where was the boy found?”

Willow Painter told the chief where the child had been found by the huge boulder that marked the trail. Winnemucca knew the place. He also knew there was a trail that wound high above the one where the boy had been found and wondered if his pony had slipped off the trail in the snow causing the boy to end up where he had been found. It was strange though that no dead pony was found nearby. The child himself if he had fallen from that trail was lucky to be alive. The Great Spirit must have great things in store for this child to have protected him so well. 

Willow Painter watched the Chief examine the child, ask his questions and then become lost in thought. He waited patiently for the chief’s decision.   
“Willow Painter, the Great Spirit has protected this child. You may tell One Who Speaks Easy and Little Feather they may care for the boy. If it is the Great Spirit’s will the child will live. Perhaps then we will learn more about him and know from where he comes.”

“Yes Great Chief.”

Winnemucca wrapped the child back in the buffalo robe. “Tell One Who Speaks Easy to take care with the child’s clothes. He will need to dress in them again if we find out where he belongs.”

“I will tell her.”

Winnemucca handed the now wrapped child to Willow Painter and he brought the youngster out to his wife.  
“The Chief says you may care for the child. Chief says the child is protected by the Great Spirit. Winnemucca says take care with child’s clothing. He will need it again.

“Thank you husband. I will take special care of this little one.”

The little boy raged with fever calling out for his family the Indians assumed. They fed him willow bark tea to try to bring down his fever and fed him water to help as well.   
Winnemucca had given permission to treat the child. He was such a bit of a thing, so small and so vulnerable. He thought of many years gone by when his good friend Benjamin Cartwright’s littlest son, Little Joe had run away from home at about age three or 4 and had wandered into his camp. He had kept the boy until his father had come for him. He had warned the child that if he ran away from home again he would spank him so he wouldn’t be able to sit for a week. The child had never run away and he had never had to make good on his promise. Now he estimated Little Joe’s age at about twelve, the age when boys from his tribe went through their manhood ceremony. He watched as the little one writhed in pain and muttered and the call out clearly for his Papa. Winnemucca shook his head and wondered where the child had come from. When he heard the child call for Adam and then Little Joe, he understood. This child had something to do with is good friend Benjamin Cartwright. He had not heard of his friend marrying again or having had a new child come into his family recently. 

Little Feather wiped down the little boy. He was so hot and he still muttered strange things in his sleep. He had many bruises and had a hard time breathing.

One Who Speaks Easy spelled her daughter in nursing the little one. He had been stripped of his clothing and wrapped in a warm buffalo robe. His physical  
needs were more easily tended this way and One Who Speaks Easy was able to cuddle the little boy in her arms when trying to get fluids down him. His little body was hot, too hot to the touch and One Who Speaks Easy turned to her daughter. “I will bring little one outside and bury him in snow. Needs to be cold to bring fever down.”

She brought the little boy outside naked and buried him up to his neck in the snow. Little Feather helped because as soon as his hot little body hit the cold snow he began to fight and thrash. She held him down while her mother packed the snow around his little body until he was covered from his neck to his toes and was not able to move any longer. He whimpered and cried large salty tears.   
One Who Speaks Easy thanked the Great Spirit for providing the snow for she knew without it the little boy had had little chance of survival from the fever.

Sparky’s fever raged for the next two days. He wasn’t able to help himself and his cries of terror in the night were comforted by the Indian woman and her daughter. Winnemucca checked on the child’s progress daily. He shook his head at the child’s screams of terror in the night and his whimpers and pitiful crying during the day. One Who Speaks Easy gave the child broth and water. Little Feather cuddled him and comforted him when her mother was unable to do so. Winnemucca had told them that they had done right to bring this child to the camp. He believed he knew who the child belonged to and if his suspicions were right his friend Benjamin Cartwright of the ponderosa would be very distraught that his little son was missing.

****

When the storm quit raging Ben and his three boys along with their friends Roy Coffee, George Devlin, Jim Hicks, Lem from the livery, Sam the barber, John,  
the blacksmith and several others scoured the trail and the side of the mountain where Ben believed his little boy to have been lost to no avail. They were all very sadden by Ben’s loss and were fearful that the little boy’s body wouldn’t be able to be recovered until Spring when the snows melted away.  
They found no sign of the little boy anywhere. Ben couldn’t stand not finding his son.

****

Sparky hurt. He moaned as his head split into a thousand pieces. Every part of his little body hurt. He was hot and so cold. He cried for his grandfather,  
his mother, his Papa and Adam, Hoss, Hop Sing and Little Joe. His dreams were filled with dark pits, images of his mother being buried in the ground, his grandfather being buried in a big black pit and his Papa going away and him not being able to catch up to him no matter how hard he tried. He felt strong hands on his body lifting him and forcing things into his mouth which he tried to fight with no success. By the third day Sparky woke and heard strange sounds. He opened his large grey eyes and saw he was in a very strange place. A brown skinned woman with dark hair in braids and warm, gentle dark eyes bent over him. He wondered who she was and where he was.

“Little one awakes.”

Sparky said nothing. When she bent to pick him up he got scared and went at her with all his little strength. The woman backed up quickly surprised by  
the attack. Then the woman approached the child again a little more warily this time.   
Sparky eyed her suspiciously.

“One Who Speaks Easy no hurt little one.” She said in Paiute.

Sparky looked at her quizzically. He didn’t understand, but she seemed to be trying to reassure him.

“Where’s Papa?”

One Who Speaks Easy knew the child had asked a question, but she didn’t know what he asked. She just smiled at him. Then she called to Little Feather,  
“Get Winnemucca. The child is awake and I don’t know what he is saying.”

Little Feather found the chief in his teepee. 

“Mother says for you to come. Little boy is awake and talking. She does not know what the child says or is asking.”

Winnemucca strode into the teepee and saw the little boy pale and wan with livid bruises all over his little body.

“What boy name?”

Sparky was surprised to hear his language coming from this strange looking old man. He wondered if he should give his pet name or his given name and decided that papa would want him to be respectful and tell his given name. “My name is Nicholas Brett Gibson Cartwright.”

Chapter 16

The old chief had a hard time with the little boy’s answer with all those names, but recognized Cartwright.  
“Little boy belong to Ben Cartwright of the Ponderosa?”

“Papa! Where’s my Papa?”

Winnemucca nodded in satisfaction. He had been right. The little boy belonged to his friend Ben Cartwright.  
“Father not here. Little boy found in snow by hunting party.”

“I want my Papa!”

“Little boy too hurt and sick to go to Papa. When little boy ready to travel will take to Papa.”

“I want to go now!

“No, little one not fit for travel. Little one has been very sick and still hurt.”

“I don’t care! I want to go home now! 

Winnemucca shook his head and eyed the boy. Snow too deep. Boy will stay with Winnemucca.”

“No! I want to go home!”

Winnemucca eyed the little boy. “Winnemucca say no. It will be no. Will bring to father when it is safe to travel, not before.”

Sparky in a rage flew at Winnemucca. Winnemucca contained the little spitfire easily and just held him carefully until the fight went out of the boy which  
didn’t take long in his weakened state. Sparky dissolved into a puddle of tears then and Winnemucca gently placed him back on his pallet. The boy would  
bear watching. He was very spirited like a true Cartwright. The old man smiled inwardly remembering another little boy who had been brought into his camp because he had run away from his father and mother. He had run away because he had been spanked for being naughty. Dancing eyes had not run away again after Winnemucca had promised him a sound spanking if he did so again. He would call this son wildfire. The boy had a wild spirit and had a temper that caught fire as easily.

“Wildfire will stay here in camp until Winnemucca say he go home.”

Sparky laying spent on his pallet just nodded acquiescence and promptly fell asleep.

Winnemucca looked down at the little mite and thought, ‘Child has spirit and fire. Brave, but foolish.’

****

When darkness overcame the search area it took both Roy and George to drag Ben away from the site and back to the Ponderosa. The search party went out each day for the next three days searching the mountainside as closely as they could with no sign of the little boy.

***

Ben sat in the great room not seeing the book he held up in front of him. He had little interest in his surroundings or the ranch business or anything else. Little Joe tiptoed around his father. He was either being ignored or yelled at. Hop Sing noticed the pall of extreme sadness that fell over the house. He couldn’t help thinking that this was as bad as when Missy Cartwright died. In some ways Hop Sing felt it was worse. There wasn’t even a flicker of life in Mister Ben.

Adam and Hoss took up the slack and kept the ranch running. Adam felt a pain in his heart that was so deep he too went around the ranch mechanically performing tasks he had taken care of for years now without thought. Hoss dragged himself around as well. The pain he felt in his soul was so great he found himself close to tears all the time. He ate very little and this worried Hop Sing greatly.

Little Joe was quiet and pale. He went around doing his tasks quietly. He did his homework, kept quiet at school and to himself most of the time. Mitch Devlin had tried to talk to Joe about Sparky and how things were going at home, but came up against a very unresponsive Little Joe which shocked him and made him feel very sad. Miss Jones tried to pull Little Joe out of his somber mood without success. He had nightmares at night and missed his little brother deeply.

*****

Sparky began to be able to move around some, but ate very little. Winnemucca and the others tried to tempt the little boy with good food but the little mite refused to eat much. As the days went by the boy became quiet and uncommunicative. He reverted back to his ways of living at the mine wandering from cook fire to cook fire for morsels to eat and just looking at people with his large grey eyes that were very sad. Winnemucca knew that the child was pining for his father and family. He made a decision. He would bring the boy home on Thanksgiving Day. He and the family who had been caring for the boy would travel to the Ponderosa.

One day Sparky saw Willow Painter using colors to paint a piece of hide. When he left for a time to attend to another task Sparky curiously went over to The area. him seeing a piece of hide as yet unpainted stuck his little fingers into the red paint, drew a design on it. Then he used the yellow, the blue and the black. The colors began to mix and became orange, green and purple as he ran the different colors together. Before long all the colors in the bowls had run into each other creating a ugly brown color in each bowl. When Willow Painter came back and saw the mess the child had created he was very angry. He picked up the boy and brought him to Winnemucca

“Boy made Willow Painter color all brown by mixing them all together while Willow Painter was not there. Boy needs to be punished.”

Winnemucca took the child from Willow Painter and dismissed the older man who was very angry.

“Wildfire play with Willow Painter colors?”

Sparky nodded.

“Boy very bad. Make Willow Painter very angry.”

Sparky looked at Winnemucca with his large gray eyes. Winnemucca saw a little trepidation in them.

“Boy will be punished.”

Sparky looked up sharply then. He shrank from the old Chief.

“Ah, boy know punishment.”

Sparky nodded looking down at the toes of his little riding boots. 

Winnemucca lifted the child’s chin to look into his large gray eyes.  
“Boy will help Willow Painter to make new colors. If boy play with Willow Painter colors again, or not help Willow Painter to make new colors, little boy will be spanked.”

Sparky’s eyes widened and rounded at the mention of a spanking.

‘Would this old man really spank him?’

Winnemucca saw the question in the child’s eyes. “Yes Wildfire, Winnemucca set fire to little boy’s bottom.”  
He took Sparky by the hand and brought him back to Willow Painter and told him to help the boy to make new colors and if he played with them again, or was  
uncooperative, to bring the boy to him and he would punish him more severely. Willow Painter nodded sharply and then giving Sparky a bowl filled with buffalo fat broke red ochre into it and gave him a gourd and showed him how to mix the color. It was hard work and Sparky tired of it quickly. When he set the bowl down and attempted to wander off Willow Painter took him by the wrist and forced him to sit down again and continue his task. Sparky did not take kindly to this. He ended up throwing the unfinished work at Willow Painter. Willow Painter picked up the struggling boy and brought him to Winnemucca and told the chief how the boy had acted.

Winnemucca eyed the child when Willow Painter left.  
“Boy no do as he was told for boy’s punishment. Boy no make new colors for Willow Painter. Now boy will get other punishment.”

Sparky’s eyes grew wide and round. He backed up and put his little hands on his backside to protect it.

Winnemucca almost laughed. He walked over to the boy and snatching him up pinned him and placed him over his knee. Then he brought his hand down sharply on the child’s backside and continued to do so until the little boy was crying hot tears. Then Winnemucca stood the child on his feet. Sparky had not made a sound during the spanking, just shed big tears when it had hurt a lot.

Winnemucca was worried. The little boy was withdrawing more and more and he needed his family.

Chapter 17

The days dragged by and the Cartwright household was a very sad one. They went through each day doing their chores mechanically. There was no talking, no laughter, no life. It was almost as though the Ponderosa was a living tomb. 

Hop Sing sighed as he cleaned away yet again another hardly eaten meal to feed to the hogs. He wished fervently there was something he could do to help.

Roy, Doc Martin, George Devlin, Jim Hicks and the reverend came out from time to time only to leave sadder than when they came. The family had not been to church since the event and the reverend was concerned.

Snows came again more heavily forcing the family to spend the long days together in the great room. Sparky’s toy chest looked forlorn and deserted. The child’s presence was missed greatly by all.

****

Winnemucca saw the snows come and worried. He needed to get this little boy reunited with his family. He had taken to fighting with the older boys having sustained several significant bruises as a result. He was sporting a black eye right now and Winnemucca had had to discipline both boys. Sparky  
taking his spanking in silence while the other boy had yelped and cried out at the sharp smacks that had been applied to his bottom. Winnemucca knew the spanking had hurt because he saw the little boy rubbing his backside, but no sound came forth.

A couple of days before Thanksgiving Winnemucca bundled up the child for travel. He, Little Feather, one who Speaks Easy, Straight Arrow, Willow Painter  
and Grey Pebble all set out for the Ponderosa. Each of the women took turns carrying the little boy on their back. Sparky was upset to be treated like a baby, but he wasn’t able to traverse the deep drifted snow otherwise. He had learned the Indian name for baby was papoose and had had several fights because of this.

****

On Thanksgiving Day Mary and George Devlin along with their family, Doc Martin, Roy Coffee, Jim Hicks and his wife Sarah, The Reverend Ford and his wife Violet along with Lem and John all descended upon the Ponderosa. They brought food and tried to bring good cheer along with them too.

Adam opened the door when he heard the sleighs arrive and was surprised to see the party of people. Mitch Devlin and his older brother Pete took care of all the animals not allowing Adam or Hoss to do anything but to greet their guests. When Paul walked in he looked with great concern at Ben. He looked like a man who was a great many years older than his actual age. Ben looked up at his friend with a lackluster attitude and went back to staring into the fire.

Everyone tried to keep up a cheery atmosphere which was almost impossible in the gloomy house.

****

Winnemucca came up over the ridge. He saw the large house in the distance. He had seen little activity and wondered if there was anyone there. Then he saw a tall figure step out onto the porch and slump against one of the posts holding up the porch. He recognized it as young Adam Cartwright. He could see the sadness in the boy’s slumped figure and knew that he was truly bringing joy to this disconsolate family.

****

Ben sat thinking staring into the fire. 

‘It is all my fault. If I hadn’t grabbed the boy’s reins I wouldn’t have caused Buck to slip and fall and my baby wouldn’t have been knocked out of his pony’s saddle and lost to me forever.’ 

Ben sighed a deep sigh and his soul burned with pain.

****

Sparky saw his home and grew excited. He wanted to get down but was rewarded with a sharp swat to his bottom when he tried to get down by Winnemucca.  
The little party trudged on.

****

Hop Sing was setting out the food and hoped more justice would be done to it than had been for the past few weeks.  
“Family and friends come to table now. Eat.”

Paul took Ben’s arm and escorted him to his seat. Little Joe sat down, but didn’t look at anyone and a tear slipped down his face. Adam seeing this bit his own lip biting back his own tears and Hoss blinked rapidly as well. As the reverend began the Thanksgiving prayer there were sounds of voices outside.

Adam got up wearily to look outside and what he saw astonished him. There was a band of Indians, six of them and a small child with them outside the door.  
He took another look and his heart leapt into his throat. He saw the familiar red cap, muffler, mittens and the navy blue coat.

‘No, it can’t be, but…it is!’

“Sparky!” Adam rushed outside without his coat and snatched the little mite out of the carrying board and squeezed the little tyke so hard that Sparky began to squirm. “Adam, you’re squishing me!”

Adam seeing the chief and recognizing Winnemucca said, come in, all of you. Please   
come in and get warm. He ushered the whole band of Indians into the great room and shut the door. He strode over to his father and plopped the cold little boy right into his lap.

“Papa!” Sparky threw his arms around Ben.

Ben awoke as if from a stupor. The cold little arms around his neck and the cold little face against his shoulder brought him up short. He looked at the little Bundle of energy sitting in his lap and then gave a great sob and hugged the boy tightly to him. Tears ran down his face and mingled with those of the little boy. As Ben became more aware he got himself in control. Hoss and Little Joe were trying to pluck Sparky out of Ben’s lap, but he wasn’t having any of it.  
This was his precious little boy and he was going to have him for as long as he could right where he was. He got up and carrying the child with him approached his old friend Winnemucca. He greeted the chief with great respect.

“I am grateful for you returning my son to me Chief Winnemucca. You and your party are to stay and take food with us and warm yourselves by my fire.”

Winnemucca nodded his acceptance. Hop Sing scurried to find plates of food for the newcomers. He helped them to shed their traveling clothes and Adam built up the fire in the hearth a little more to give off more heat. Ben still had his bundled up son in his arms. Adam reached out to take him from Ben but the man was not going to let go of his son. 

“Pa, Sparky needs to get his coat and hat and scarf and mittens off.”

Ben realizing for the first time his child was bundled up like a baby smiled. The child was also wrapped in a blanket. Ben began to unwind the blanket, pulled the cap off Sparky’s head and began to undress his little son. When he was able to get a good look at him he saw the fading bruise from his right eye.  
“Little boy, have you been fighting?”

“Yes papa.”

Ben laughed at the child's penitent expression and cuddled him in his lap.

“Well young man, I think you must be hungry.”

“Yes Papa.”

The reverend again stood and gave the blessing. It truly was a blessed day to see the littlest Cartwright reunited with his family and bringing such joy to one and all.

Chapter 18 

For the rest of the day the little boy was the center of attention. Ben got the story of Sparky’s rescue and subsequent illness from Winnemucca and expressed his great appreciation to the family who found Sparky and brought him to safety.

Ben kept Sparky in his lap the entire time at dinner and fed the little boy from his own plate. Sparky was growing restless. He wanted down. After all, he wasn’t a baby, but he was so glad to be with his Papa and family he decided to stay put and allow Papa to treat him like a baby for a while.

Hop Sing was very glad to see his food disappear into the family stomachs instead of the hog pen.

Benjamin Cartwright, still holding his little son in his arms approached the chief and his small band who had traveled with him.  
“Great Chief, your friend again sends many thanks to you and your people for bringing back to me my precious child.”

“Chief Winnemucca know boy belong to his friend Benjamin Cartwright when little one calls out for Papa, sons and housekeeper.”

“Was he very much trouble?”

“Boy true Cartwright. Boy carries Paiute name Wildfire.”

Ben smiled. “My son has the nickname of Sparky.”

“Name fit little wildfire. Boy fight like wild thing, is full of fire.”

“Yes he is Chief Winnemucca.”

“Boy fight older boys. Boy no like to be called papoose.”  
“Papoose?”

“Paiute word for baby.”

Ben laughed as Sparky got a dark look on his face. “I don’t like being called a baby Papa.”

“Little one, we well know that.”

“Boy no more trouble than Chief Winnemucca can handle. A little fire set on the bottom put out wildfire. Fight fire with fire.”

Ben understood that Winnemucca had spanked Sparky while he had stayed at the camp and smiled. “Yes Chief Winnemucca, sometimes a fire stops a wildfire from spreading.”

Chief Winnemucca nodded knowing his friend had understood his meaning. Sparky was looking from one man to another not quite understanding what they were saying, but knowing somehow they were talking about him.

“Boy has very much spirit. Boy is looked upon with great favor by the Great Spirit.”

“Yes Winnemucca, he is and therefore very precious to me.”  
“Child welcome to Winnemucca camp any time. If child does not behave Chief Winnemucca set fire to boy’s bottom.”

Sparky understood that and rubbed his bottom where Winnemucca had swatted him just before they arrived.

This did not go unnoticed by Ben. “Again, Chief Winnemucca, Benjamin Cartwright is grateful to you and your people for bringing my precious son back to me. Please accept gifts for you and your people.”

“Winnemucca accept gifts from Benjamin Cartwright friend of the Paiute.”

Ben sent the Paiute’s off with as many supplies as he could spare for their winter camp. He was so grateful for the return of his precious little boy, there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do to repay them. 

Winnemucca did not take advantage of Ben. He had known Ben to be a very generous man to the Paiute for many years. He was just grateful he could bring his old friend such joy bye returning Wildfire to him. 

Hop Sing had prepared a bath for the child. He was filthy and his clothes needed to be laundered. He plopped him into the tub and saw other bruises he had received from his fighting. He treated these before putting him sleepy into his nightshirt and tucked up into his bed with clean sheets and let Ben know the child was tucked up into bed.

Ben, Adam, Hoss and Little Joe all trooped into Sparky’s room. Ben shook his head as he looked at his son’s bruised eye. “Little one, you will need to stop fighting.”

“Papa, they called me a papoose which is the Indian word for baby.”

Ben couldn’t help himself and laughed. The other boys laughed too. Everyone in the family knew that Sparky took extreme offense at other kids calling him a “baby”.

“We’ll talk about that tomorrow. Tonight young man you get some sleep okay?”

“Okay Papa.”

When Sparky’s screams split the night Ben wasn’t surprised. Adam, Hoss and Little Joe all came running as well. Ben picked up the crying child and walked him up and down soothing him and Sparky snuggled tightly into his father’s arms. Ben ended up bringing the child to his bed and letting him sleep with him for the rest of the night.

When Ben woke he glanced down at the small warm bundle still sleeping next to him. He brushed the blonde locks away from the child’s forehead. He hoped that the little one would not continue to have nightmares. Ben snuggled down and drew the small warm body closer to his own and breathed another sigh of relief. He couldn’t believe that his precious child of his heart had been restored to him. He loved this little boy so much that it wasn’t until he had been unexpectedly ripped away from him that he realized how much.

Sparky stretched and winced. He was still a bit sore from the last fight he had had. He wasn’t sore anymore from the spanking he had received at the hands of Winnemucca for it however. He felt his father’s warm presence and snuggled closer and went back to sleep.

Ben noticed the little boy stir, then settle back down and return to sleep. He examined the fading bruised eye and other bruises and vowed to himself that the child was not going to be experiencing any more pain if he could help it. The little boy has suffered enough.

When Sparky awoke he sat up and rubbing his eyes winced at the soreness still in his right eye. 

Ben smiled. “Are you awake now sleepy head?”

“Yes Papa.”

“Are you hungry?”

“Some. I need to wash up and get dressed Papa.”

“Well, then let’s get you washed up and dressed. Papa needs to get washed up first.” He pulled the chamber pot out from under his bed. “You can use the pot in the meantime.”

Sparky took care of his bodily needs as his Papa got washed and dressed. Sparky had crawled back into the warm bedclothes to wait for his Papa to help him.  
Once Ben had finished up he plucked the little boy up out of the bedclothes and carried him to his room. He poured the warm water waiting for him and helped the child to wash and dress. Once Sparky was dressed Ben snatched him up and carried him downstairs.

“Papa, I can walk! I’m not a baby. “

“Well, I want to baby you for a little while Sparky. I like to feel you in my arms.”

Sparky pouted, but let Ben carry him. Once they were downstairs Sparky headed for his toy chest and began to pull out his toys and to play. Ben sighed contentedly. He went out to help with the chores.

Adam, Hoss and Little Joe were already at the morning chores.

“How do ya think he is Adam?”

“I’m not sure Hoss. He seems to be all right.”

“I’m sure glad to have him back nightmares and all. It’s good to see pa happy again.”

“Yes, it is little Joe. We still don’t know what happened that day out on the trail though.”

“Yeah, but whatever it was I don’t think Pa will want to talk about it.”

“No, I don’t think so either.”

Chapter 19 

Ben came in smiling and the boys changed their topic of conversation. Ben went over and scratched the little pony’s ears as he had done every day since  
Sparky didn’t return home with Ben. It was like the pony had become a substitute or the only link that Ben had had to his little boy.

When they finished their chores they went into the house. The familiar cushion was on the chair that had been customary for Sparky to sit in. Ben picked up the little mite and plopped him onto his chair. He served the child and they all mapped out what they were going to do for the day. Ben planned to spend  
the day with his little son and The boys didn’t begrudge him that. 

Little Joe was reluctant to go to school, but Ben insisted.

Sparky pushed his food around after having eaten only a few bites. He wasn’t very hungry. He had grown accustomed to eating very little at the Indian camp  
and Ben was a bit concerned. He pulled the boy into his lap.  
“Sparky, you have to eat a bit more than that.”

“I’m not hungry Papa. I ate all I want to eat.”

“I want you to eat just a little bit more.” Ben said picking up the child’s fork and feeding him a bit more egg and bacon. After a bit Sparky turned his  
head and wouldn’t allow Ben to feed him any more breakfast. 

“Papa! I don’t want anymore! I want to go play!”

“Okay little one. Go play for a while.” Ben set him down and Sparky headed for his toys and occupied himself playing for a while. Ben sat at his desk and  
worked on the ranch accounts and watched his child at play.

When it was time for lunch Hop Sing brought sandwiches and soup for them and a glass of milk and some cookies.

Sparky ate a few spoonsful of his soup, one of the four sections of sandwich Ben had cut up for him, then reached out for a cookie.

“No cookies until you eat your sandwich young man.”

“Papa, I want a cookie!”

“Well… one cookie, then you have to eat the rest of your sandwich.” Ben placed a cookie on Sparky’s plate. 

The child ate the cookie and then got down to leave the table.

“Where are you going young man?”

“I’m finished eating.”

“You ask to be excused or have you forgotten that?”

Sparky looked at his father to see how serious he was about this and decided he should ask to be excused.  
“Papa may I please be excused?”

“No, you may not until you eat the rest of your sandwich as we agreed.”

Sparky was surprised. Usually when he asked to be excused his Papa said yes. He seldom said no. “But Papa, I’m not hungry anymore! I don’t want to eat the rest of my sandwich.”

Ben eyed his child, then relented. “Okay, you may be excused then. Go play.”

Hop Sing overhearing this exchange was surprised. Usually Mr. Ben didn’t let his children go away from the table without having made good effort to eat their meal. The child had eaten next to nothing. He kept his council however, not interfering.

Ben decided to go outside for a while and asked, “Do you want to come outside with me Sparky?”

“Yes Papa, may I see Blaze?”

Ben shook a bit. He wasn’t sure he wanted the child on a horse of any kind ever again. Then he realized that wasn’t possible and decided that his son deserved to become reacquainted with his little pony.  
“Sure you may. Come on.” With the child bundled up good Ben walked with him across the yard to the barn. 

Once inside Sparky true to his usual self-crawled on top of Blaze’s stall wall to gain better access to the pony. Sparky expecting to be scolded for doing this was surprised when his father said nothing but watched him indulgently.

Ben was delighted to see the tyke happy. 

Sparky climbed down after a while and watched while his father took care of some small chores that had needed  
to be done, but hadn’t been part of the usual routine.

“Papa?”

“Yes little one?”

“I want to go for a ride.”

Ben’s heart began to beat rapidly. “No little one. It’s too slippery for that today.”

“Papa, I want to go!”

“Please Baby, not today.”

Sparky began to cry big tears. “Papa! I want to go for a ride! I haven’t rode Blaze for a very long time and I want to go for a ride!”

Ben’s heart squeezed in terror. He didn’t want the little one on a horse or a pony ever again. He saw himself snatching the pony’s reins and falling… searching…  
Ben opened his eyes, his face pale.

“No Sparky, not until the snow melts off the ground.”

“You’re being mean! I want to ride him and I want to ride him now!”

Ben sighed. He couldn’t deny the little boy anything. Not when he just had him returned to him. “Okay Sparky, okay. Let me saddle Blaze and we’ll go for  
a ride.”

Ben saddled the little pony with his red saddle blanket and black saddle and gear. The pony looked wonderful. He frisked at not having had a saddle on  
him for the past few weeks and Ben stroked the little horse to calm him down. When he had Buck saddled he plopped Sparky onto the saddle of his pony and father and son  
rode off on the southern trail. 

Sparky rode at a trot, tempted to let his little horse gallop, but deciding not to do that just yet. They rode along the foothills and the surefooted pony trotted alongside the larger horse. When they had ridden for about an hour and a half they headed back. When Ben  
plucked his little boy out of the saddle he noticed Sparky walking a bit stiffly. “Are you all right son?”

“My bottom hurts a bit Papa.”

Ben cursed himself for not remembering the child had not ridden for a while and might be a bit sore if they rode too long. He picked him up and rubbed his  
little backside.

“Oh… Papa!”

“Hurts some hmm…?”

“Some.”

“Well… we’ll take care of that right now.”

Ben strode into the house and Hop Sing prepared a hot bath for the child and put something in the water to take the soreness and stiffness out of the little  
tyke’s muscles. After his bath Ben tucked Sparky up into his bed and stayed by him until he drifted off to sleep.

When Sparky woke he was still a little sore, but climbed out of his bed and wandered downstairs. He went over to his toys and began to play. Ben came in  
from the barn and seeing his little boy playing smiled.

When Little Joe came home Sparky got his coat on and ran out to the barn. “Hi Little Joe!”  
“Hi Sparky. How’s my favorite little brother?”

“Good!” Sparky climbed up on Blaze’s stall and winced a little as he sat up on the wall.   
Little Joe came over and plucked him off the wall. “Sparky,  
you know you’re not supposed to do that.”

“Papa let me.”

“When did Pa let you sit up on the wall of the stall?”

“This afternoon before we went out for a ride.”

“Well… I don’t think he’d be wanting ya to be doing that all the time.”

Sparky pouted. Then he crawled up on the wall again. 

Little Joe turned around and seeing him up there again took him down. “I said stay off there little one.”

“I don’t have to. You let me sit on the stall wall when we were at the old farm and we were working with Blaze and Papa didn’t scold me for it this afternoon  
either.”

Little Joe just picked him up and put him down again. 

Sparky began to cry then. 

Ben walked in and asked, “What’s going on?”

“Sparky won’t stay off the stall wall Pa. He says you don’t mind if he sits up there.”

“Well… if he’s careful, I guess he can sit up there if he wants to.”

Little Joe turned and stared at his father in disbelief. He had never wanted Sparky to do that before, but now… he’s giving the little one permission to  
do that?  
“Okay Pa, if you say so.”

Sparky promptly climbed back up there and leaned over to rub Blaze’s ears. 

Ben watched and felt satisfied that the little boy was happy and left the barn.

Chapter 20

After a while Sparky climbed down because sitting up there was hurting his sore bottom. He rubbed his backside and Little Joe noticed. “Did you get spanked  
Sparky?”

“No, my bottom is sore because Papa and I rode our horses out this afternoon and I guess because I haven’t ridden for a while I got sore.”

Little Joe just nodded.

Adam and Hoss came in then and each of them picked up the littlest Cartwright and hugged and kissed him. Adam patted the little boy’s bottom and seeing  
him wince said, “What kind of trouble did you get into already that you got a sore backside little one?”

“Nothing. Papa and me just rode out on the trail a little too long and I got a bit sore that’s all.” 

Adam raised an eyebrow. Usually Pa was very careful  
for that not to happen. He must have forgotten because Sparky hadn’t ridden for quite a while that he might get sore.

When he saw Sparky climb up onto Sport’s stall he picked him up and put him on the ground. “You know you shouldn’t do that Sparky.”

“Papa said if I was real careful I could.”

Adam raised an eyebrow in surprise. He glanced at Little Joe and with a glance confirmed what Sparky had just said. Hoss gave Adam a glance that spoke  
volumes.

When the boys trooped into the house Ben was sitting in his favorite leather chair reading the paper. He looked up and said, “You boys all done with your  
chores?”

“Yes Sir.

“Good. Supper will be ready in a bit. Little Joe, I want you to get your homework done.”

“Yes Pa.”

Sparky played with his toys until supper was ready. He went to his seat when called and looked at the food on his plate. He ate some and then began to push  
it around on his plate. Ben glanced over at his child and went to reprimand him, but then hesitated. He didn’t want to upset his son on his first full  
day home so he ignored it.

Adam saw Sparky playing with his food. He saw his father glance over and thought he was going to say something, but then saw him change his mind. Adam  
was concerned. He had seen his father letting the little one get away with things he shouldn’t. 

When Hop Sing brought out dessert he went to pass the  
little one by seeing his plate still half full of food. 

“Hop Sing, please take that away and give Sparky his dessert.”

Hop Sing hesitated slightly, then did as he had been requested silently. He did not think his boss was handling the little one well right now, but said  
nothing. If he wanted to be lenient and spoil the child he would reap what he was sowing and it was not his place to say anything at the moment.

Sparky ate most of his dessert, then asked, “May I leave the table Papa?”

“Yes little one.”

Adam raised an eyebrow, but said nothing

Sparky played noisily in the great room until Ben told him it was time to go to bed.   
“Papa, I’m not tired. I want to stay up a little longer.”

Ben glanced at the clock. “Well, another half hour, then it’s to bed with you young man.”

“Yes Papa.”

When the half hour had gone by Ben again said, “Time for bed now little boy.”

“Papa, can’t I stay up just a little longer?”

“No. It’s time to go to bed.”

“But I don’t want to Papa. I want to stay up and play a little longer!”

“No. it’s time for bed.”

Sparky began to cry. Ben sighed. “Okay, for just a little longer, then it’s to bed for you.”

Adam looked up from the book he was reading with shocked surprise as did Hoss and Little Joe. They had all thought for sure he’d at least pick up the child  
and bring him up to his room. Not cave in to him because he had turned on the tears.

When Sparky’s new bed time arrived Ben went over to the little boy and said, “Put away your toys now Little One it’s time now for both you and little Joe  
to go to bed.”

Little Joe said good night to his brothers and his father and went on up. 

Sparky reluctantly put his toys away. At the Indian camp he had been able to  
play until he got tired and laid down on his pallet and went to sleep. There had been no one to tell him when to go to bed. When he had been at the mine  
it had been the same. He had fallen asleep wherever he happened to be at the time.

Ben tucked his child into his bed and then turned down the lamp. He would check on him one more time before he went to bed. When he went back downstairs  
Adam and Hoss were engaged in a game of checkers and Ben settled back down with his book.

The next several days went pretty much the same way. Sparky making demands and Ben giving into them, not enforcing the rules with the child. Adam, Hoss  
and Little Joe were becoming annoyed. The little boy was getting anything he wanted and not having to do the things he didn’t want to do. 

When the family went to church together for the first time in weeks Sparky behaved very badly. He kicked his feet, slumped in his seat and would not sit still. Adam had  
slapped his leg sharply once when he had kicked him swinging his feet and when Sparky began to cry Ben had given Adam a serious look.

Adam said nothing and then ignored the child’s poor behavior. If his father didn’t care how the little mite was behaving lately then why should he.

After church Ben let Sparky go and play with Sally Robbins and the other children.   
Sparky spent time holding court telling what it was like living with the Indians for a while. He told them about not having to go to bed at any specific time, but just going to sleep when you got tired and getting up when you  
woke up. How the Indians painted things and wove baskets and worked hides and made clothing. He also told them of how he had had fights with the older  
boys to prove he wasn’t a “papoose” the Indian name for baby. He left out however the spankings he had received for not doing the things he had been told  
to do and for the fighting. When it was time to go Ben picked him up and plopped him on his pony and the family headed back to the ranch. Sparky rode  
tall in his saddle and had a big smile on his face. His brothers rode a bit behind and kept looking at each other and then at the little mite and their  
father.

When they arrived home Ben helped his son with his pony and when he was finished with Buck went up to the house leaving Sparky with his brothers. Adam picked  
up the little boy and sat him on a stack of hay bales so he could look him in the eye. “Little boy, you have been very naughty today.” 

Sparky looked at Adam with his large gray eyes innocently.  
“I didn’t do anything Adam.”

“Don’t look at me with those innocent eyes little brother. You certainly didn’t behave as you should have at church. You know you’re supposed to stay still  
and not kick your legs and disturb everyone else in the church.”

“I wasn’t.”

“You certainly were. I slapped your leg for doing it because you kicked me. I don’t know why Pa is letting things slide, but before this incident with  
you and Pa he would have taken you outside and warmed your backside.”

“No he wouldn’t have. He would have talked to me and brought me back inside.”

Adam eyed his little brother. 

Sparky looked back defiantly and this was something new to Adam. His littlest brother had never looked at him with this kind of defiance before. He felt like turning the little boy over his knee and giving him the spanking he deserved, but knew he would be overstepping his boundaries and Pa would be very upset with him. 

Sparky had Adam and knew it. He knew Adam wouldn’t do anything that would upset his Papa. 

Adam saw the little smile of triumph. He almost lost it wanting to whale the tar out of the little boy, but restrained himself.  
“Nicholas, I’m telling you this little boy, if you hurt Pa by playing this dangerous little game of yours you will have me to deal with and I promise you  
that you will definitely regret it.” Adam held his gaze on those large gray eyes until the defiance faded and the little boy looked away. “Consider yourself  
warned little boy. I won’t stand for you hurting Pa and neither will Hoss or Little Joe. They will back me up one hundred percent.” 

Sparky wondered what dire thing Adam would do to him, but didn’t think he wanted to find out. 

Adam reached out and taking the child’s chin in his hand gently brought  
his little face up to look into those large gray eyes. “Do we understand each other?” Adam saw a bit of trepidation in the child’s eyes. 

“Yes Adam.”

“Good.”

Chapter 21

As Christmas drew near Ben wanted to make his youngest child’s Christmas a very special one. He bought all manner of things for the child. Any toy Sparky didn’t have Ben secured for him by either ordering from a catalog or from Jim Hicks store. He got him all kinds of clothing, another set of riding boots,  
dress ones for church, Anything Ben could think of. Adam was getting soured by all this attention being paid to the child when he didn’t deserve it. He wanted nothing more than to give his little brother a switching for Christmas. 

Sparky had managed to get everything he wanted by wheedling, whining or crying. Adam, Hoss and even Little Joe were getting heartily sick of it all. Their baby  
brother was becoming a terribly spoiled brat.

Ben was in town with Sparky and the boys and they were just finishing up picking up packages from the General Store when Barry Walker, Larry Cole and Jerry  
Robinson from the Silver Eagle mine arrived. Seeing Sparky, they fussed over him and picking him up gave him all kind of hugs and were very happy to see the  
little boy alive and well after the scare of his tumbling down the mountainside in the snow.

Barry Walker saw however a subtle difference in the child. When he set him down he saw him go over to his father and whine, “Papa, I want some candy.”

“No Sparky, not now. There is some in our purchases and you may have some when we get home.”

“No! I want some now!”

Barry was taken aback. Then to his astonishment he saw Ben Cartwright sigh, take the little boy by the hand and lead him over to the candy jar and  
buy him a few extra pieces of candy. He saw the sly smile on the boy’s face and wanted to reach out and swat that little backside hard. What happened to the sweet respectful obedient child that had visited with him and his family at the mine? What he saw in front of him was an overindulged spoiled brat. If the boy spent some time with him and his family… well… the child would have a hard time sitting for most of the visit. It wouldn’t do any good though if when he returned to his family his own father didn’t hold his ground with his son. Barry was shocked and saddened at the change in the boy.

On the way home Sparky rode ahead a little and when Ben admonished him looked back and smirked. He didn’t drop back like he was told to and Adam rode up  
past his father and grabbing the pony’s reins pulled the little pony up abruptly startling Sparky.  
“You were told to drop back and ride with the rest of us weren’t you Nicky?”

“Papa didn’t mean it Adam. He didn’t come up here and make me.”

“Well, I am.”

“You’re not my Papa!” Sparky tried to jerk the pony’s reins out of Adam’s hands.

Ben and the other boys had halted watching this scene. When he saw his child try to jerk the reins away from Adam, a picture flashed into his mind. It was a snowy trail  
and the blizzard was raging and he wanted his five-year-old son to let him take his reins so that he could keep him safe, but the boy had refused and when he  
had reached out to grab the reins from his son… 

Ben suddenly dismounted. He strode over to the pony and to both Adam and Sparky’s surprise plucked the little boy from his saddle. Ben strode over to  
a fallen log near the trail and flipped the little mite over his knee, yanked down his pants and made to begin to spank that little backside. Before he could land the first hard swat he felt his wrist caught in a strong hard grip and unable to descend. He looked up into a pair of worried blue eyes. “Don’t do it Pa. Ya’re too mad and ya’re gonna hurt the little mite.”  
Ben realized that what his middle son said was true. Adam came over and plucked Sparky off Ben’s lap fixing his clothing.   
“Hoss is right Pa. We’re not saying he don’t deserve a sound spanking, but not when you’re like this. You’re going to hurt him.”

Sparky’s large gray eyes were round and frightened. The child had his hand in his mouth and was chewing on his fingers. 

Ben knew this to be a sign of the child’s insecurity. He gently reached out for his little son, shaking still slightly from his intense anger which was now fading and hugged him tightly. “Sparky, Papa didn’t mean to frighten you. Take your fingers out of your mouth please” Ben gently removed the boy’s hand from his mouth.   
Ben plopped the little boy back on his saddle. “Young man, you stay with us now do you hear?”

“Yes Papa.”

“You and I will be having a very necessary talk when we get back home.”

“Yes Papa.”

The five Cartwrights rode silently into the yard. Adam, Hoss and little Joe were worried both about their father’s reaction to Sparky and what he would do to the little mite.  
Ben took Sparky out of the saddle and planting a sharp swat on his behind said, “You go up to your room young man and wait for me.”

Sparky rubbed his bottom. It had been the first time Papa had swatted him since he returned home and he hadn’t lost his touch. It had hurt. “yes Papa.”  
Sparky turned and Ben opened the door for the child and watched as he walked up the stairs to his room. 

Ben and the boys went into the barn and Ben put up Blaze and Adam working on Sport said, “Pa? What was that all about out on the trail?”

“I remember now how the accident happened. I wanted Sparky to hand me his reins because the snow was getting so thick I couldn’t see him properly and I wanted him to be safe. I didn’t know he was riding so close to the edge and when I grabbed his reins Buck slipped and I ended up dragging Blaze down with Buck and me and Sparky was unseated and tumbled over the edge.”

Adam whistled. His little brother sure was in for it. Putting Pa through all that because of his stubbornness. Now Adam understood his father’s fury when Adam had tried to grab Blaze’s reins to pull him up short and stop Sparky from riding further ahead of the family. When the little one had tried to jerk the reins out of Adam’s hands, it apparently had triggered his father’s memory. He was glad however that Hoss had stopped Pa. He really would have hurt the little mite. Even though he deserved a good spanking he didn’t deserve to be beaten in anger. 

Sparky went up to his room and flung himself on his bed. He was confused. Why was Papa mad at him? He had let him do whatever he wanted to since he came back with the Indians. How come all of a sudden he wanted to spank him? He was a bit scared because his older brothers had stopped Papa from spanking him right out there on the trail. Why had they done that? Papa had sounded like he wanted to still spank him. He wondered why. 

Ben calmed himself as he groomed Buck and talked with Adam.   
“Pa, what are you going to do?”

“I’m going to give that little boy a bare bottom spanking with the hairbrush. He’ll be feeling this one for a while.”

“Pa, I don’t want to tell you how to handle him, but…”

Ben eyed his oldest son. “Out with it boy, what’s on your mind?”

“I’m not sure he will understand why he’s being punished so severely. Talk to him. It all happened quite a while ago for him now. Let him know you weren’t please with what he did today and go back to being his Pa again. Let him know you intend to enforce all the rules again and intend to follow through with the punishments you had agreed on before all this happened. He needs consistency Pa. He’s gotten so spoiled that he’s getting worse in his behavior, not better. Even Mr. Walker noticed when he was in the general store. He looked as though he wanted to turn the little mite over his knee and give him what for.”

Ben was surprised. He hadn’t noticed the big man’s reaction to his boy’s behavior. He remembered giving in to his whining about the candy when in the past had Sparky done that he would have either picked him up and brought him out of the store or popped him one on his backside. Instead he had just given in and gotten him the candy when he could have waited. If he had continued to carry on he wouldn’t have gotten any at home either. Adam was right. He hadn’t realized he had let things get so out of hand with his little boy. Well, that was going to stop immediately. 

Adam watched the flow of emotions flit through his father’s eyes and then settle into a determined look. 

‘Uh oh, I feel sorry for the little mite now. Pa’s back and that little boy is going to have a rough time of it for a while until he gets the message that the Papa he knew before this accident was back.’

Ben headed up the stairs and knocking gently at his little son’s door went in. 

Sparky was sitting up in the middle of the bed looking confused and sad. 

Ben sat down on the bed and pulled the little boy onto his lap.

“Little one, you and I need to have a talk.”

“Papa?”

“Yes?”

“Are you mad at me?”

Ben thought about that for a moment. “No, little one, I’m not mad at you. I’m mad at myself.”

Sparky looked up in confusion. “Why Papa?”

“Because I haven’t been the Papa to you that you need.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Nicky, after you were returned to me I was so joyful that I never even thought of what happened out there in the snowstorm that caused all this to happen. I was just so happy to have you back that I didn’t do anything I should have to continue being a Papa to you. I let you break the rules, I allowed you to behave in ways that I wouldn’t have let you behave before the accident and I realized today out there on the trail when you tried to jerk the reins out of Adam’s hands that I wasn’t doing right by you. By not disciplining you and not keeping the limits and boundaries very clear I was helping you to harm yourself.”

“Papa?”

“Yes?”

“I still don’t understand.”

Ben sighed. How do you explain to a five-year-old that by not parenting him properly, by not enforcing discipline he had allowed him to become a willful, defiant, spoiled child? That child would be harmed because he could get into dangerous situations by that kind of behavior and that people would not like him very well. 

Ben tried again. “Nicholas, I want a respectful, obedient, truthful well liked child. I want a child who may get into mischief, but not one who whines, wheedles and cries to get his way. I want my Nicky back. The one who is curious and loving, not the defiant, angry, mean spirited little boy I have seen lately.”

“Yes Papa. How can that happen?”

“By me guiding you like I did before. For example, I will not let you sit up on the wall of the horses stalls any more. If I see you up there the consequence of getting swatted for that will apply. All the rules about riding your pony will again be reinforced. When you are told to do something by one of us you will comply or you won’t be riding Blaze. When you are told no you will comply with that or you will be finding yourself in the corner, restricted to your room or spanked depending on what needs to be done. Is that understood?”

“Yes Papa. Papa, are you going to punish me for what I did out on the trail with Adam?”

“Not this time because I was allowing you to have your own way. We now have had this conversation and you now know what will be expected. If you do that again, then yes, you will be punished.”

Ben was surprised to see the little boy look a bit relieved. He hadn’t thought the child would be expecting to be punished. He hugged him tight then and said, “Sparky, remember, from now on if you do any of the things you have been doing I won’t be letting you get away with them. You will find yourself getting a swat or two or a spanking, corner time or restrictions.”

“Yes Papa.” Then the little boy flung himself into Bens arms and said, “Papa, I love you.”

Ben had not realized he had not heard his child say that since his return home. It was good to hear.   
“Sparky, I love you too.” Then he looked at his son. “Sparky, if you ever defy me when I tell you to do something in a dangerous situation like you did in the snowstorm I promise you will be getting a spanking the like of which you will never have had before and will never want to experience again. Even sitting on that big thick cushion on your chair won’t help because it will hurt that much do you understand?”

Sparky tried to imagine a bottom so sore that even sitting on his big soft cushion wouldn’t help because he would be too sore and decided he didn’t want to find out for himself how that felt. “Yes Papa.” He remembered Little Joe making faces sitting down after Papa tanned him about the pony and looking like sitting down still hurt. 

“Okay then. We will be making a new start.”

Chapter 22

Adam, Hoss and Little Joe were nervous. They still had heard no sounds of a spanking being administered and were both glad and worried. When there father came down he looked at them. “Sparky and I have had a little talk. He now knows that all the rules that I let slide still apply. He is not to climb up on things, especially the stalls, machinery and the corral fence. All the rules of behavior that were in effect before our little accident apply again. He also knows that all the rules about riding his pony apply as of now as well.”

The boys all glanced at each other in relief. Both Sparky and Pa were really back. 

The next several days found the Cartwright household quiet and comfortable. Sparky played as he should, followed all the rules even not having any temper tantrums. Adam and Hoss along with Ben rode out when they could as the snows had abated some and Little Joe had been able to attend school in Virginia City without much trouble. He also had been good with no notes home from Miss Jones. 

Sparky was growing bored with his toys and wandered out into the kitchen. Hop Sing shooed him out because he was gearing up for baking for the upcoming Christmas holidays. Sparky wandered around and his eyes fell on his Papa’s desk. He climbed up on his Papa’s chair and seeing the stoppered ink well wondered what it was. He tried to pull out the stopper, but it was wedged in tight. He set it down. Then he picked up one of the quill pens and stuck his finger with its sharp point. ” Ow!” The little boy put his injured finger in his mouth. He saw a pencil and picked it up. He found a piece of paper on the desk and began to draw squiggles all over it. Then he took his pencil and began to make pencil marks on the wall by the fireplace. 

When Ben strode in after putting up Buck he found his little one drawing with his pencil on the wall.   
“Nicholas! What are you doing young man?”

“Hi Papa, I’m drawing a picture.”

“Yes, I can see that. Weren’t you told not to make pencil marks on anything but the special paper either I give you or that you get from your brothers or Hop Sing?”

“Papa, there wasn’t any more paper. I found a piece of paper on your desk and then because there wasn’t any more I thought I would draw here.” The little boy pointed to his handiwork on the wallpapered wall. 

“Well, young man, you thought wrong!” Then, Sparky’s words about a piece of paper on his desk registered and he strode over to the desk to see the horse contract he had been working on scribbled all over.   
“Nicholas, come over here and bring the pencil.”

Sparky did as he was told. His father’s tone brooked no argument. When the little boy stood near Ben he put his hand out for the pencil. 

Sparky handed it over. Ben sat at his desk and again glanced down at the paper. Then he handed the boy an eraser and guided him over to the wall and showed him how to erase the pencil marks. “Young man, you will erase every pencil mark you have made on this wall paper. When you have done that you will go to your room and spend the rest of the night in your room. Hop Sing will bring you your supper, but you will not eat with the rest of the family.”

Sparky turned large gray eyes on his father filling with tears. “Papa, I’m sorry, please don’t make me stay in my room!”

“I’m sorry Nicky, but this is your punishment. If you knew how to write I would probably be making you write one hundred times that you wouldn’t write on the wall, but being as you don’t know how to do that yet this is the best I can do. A spanking would be too easy. It would be over and done with and you might not learn your lesson.” Ben stood there with his arms crossed as he watched the little mite work with the eraser being very careful to erase each and every mark he had made. 

When the other boys came into the great room and saw their Pa there supervising their little brother they knew what happened and smiled to themselves. They had seen Pa do this with little Joe a few times and Sparky didn’t seem to like this punishment any better than Little Joe had at his age. 

When Sparky was finished with his punishment Ben escorted him to his room and helped him to get ready for bed. When Hop Sing brought in his supper tray Ben left the boy to eat and went to join the rest of the family. 

When Hop Sing brought the tray back down Ben could see the child had not eaten much. He went back upstairs and knocking at Sparky’s door gently, went in. The little boy was sitting in the middle of his bed looking rather sad.   
“I notice you didn’t eat very much Sparky.”

“Papa, I wasn’t very hungry.” Sparky said his little chin trembling, the boy close to tears.

Ben scooped him up and put him in his lap. Sparky grabbed Ben, buried his little face in his shoulder and cried hard. Ben stroked the child’s hair and held him close until he stopped crying. “Papa, I’m sorry, I won’t ever write on the wall like that again.”

“You’re forgiven baby; I know you’ll try real hard not to do that again.” Ben tucked the little mite into bed and then told him a story and stayed with him until he was sound asleep.

As Christmas grew closer Ben wondered what Sparky knew about the holiday. He hadn’t seemed excited by the prospect like other children. He wondered if the child even knew about Santa Claus. 

Little Joe glanced at Sparky sitting at the breakfast table. “Sparky, what are you going to ask Santa Claus to bring you for Christmas?”

Sparky looked at Little Joe quizzically. “Santa Claus? Who’s that Little Joe?”

Little Joe was shocked as was Adam and Hoss. Ben had suspected such a thing and felt a bit sad, but left it to his sons to explain to their little brother. 

“Well Sparky old Santa Claus is just the most important person in the world after God and your Papa. He brings toys and all kind of goodies to all good little girls and boys on Christmas Eve. He fills our stockings with wonderful things and leaves all kinds of presents under the Christmas tree.”

“Hoss, what’s a Christmas Tree? What kind of goodies and are they presents like I got for my birthday party?”

“Yes Sparky. You get presents like you got for your birthday, and we each hang a stocking on the mantle of the fireplace and in the morning they are filled with fruit, candy and all kind of other interesting things.”

“How come this Santa Claus person gives everyone presents?”

“Well now Sparky, that’s his job. He keeps track of all the good little boys and girls all year long and then brings them presents as a reward for being so good. He delivers them in his sleigh with reindeer, eight of them all on Christmas Eve.”

“Little Joe, you’re telling tales and Papa is going to be mad at you for being… deceitful” Sparky had searched for the word.

“No, I’m not lying Sparky. It’s true. He even comes down the chimney.”

At this Sparky’s eyes grew wide and round. “Now Little Joe you are telling a lie! How can anyone come down the chimney? He’d get all burnt up! Papa, are you going to spank Little Joe for telling such a big lie?”

Ben smiled at this. “No Sparky, because he’s not telling a lie. It’s the truth.”

Sparky looked at his Papa in wonderment. How could this be true? “Papa, he’d get burned up if he came down the chimney.”

“Well you see Sparky Santa Claus has special powers. Not only can he come down the chimney to deliver his toys to all the girls and boys, he can do it all over the world in one night.”

Little Sparky’s little mouth opened into a shape of an “O” and his large gray eyes wide and round in disbelief. His Papa had never told him a lie though and if Little Joe had been telling a lie Papa would be mad at him. 

Everyone at the table was getting a kick out of the little boy’s wonderment. “The only thing though is that you have to be a good boy or instead of presents Santa Clause will fill your stocking with dirty black coal and leave Papa a switch to switch you with.”

A shadow fell across the little boy’s face for a moment, then he said, “Little Joe! He wouldn’t leave a switch! Papa says I’m too little to get spanked that way.”

“Well… for Christmas you might be just big enough.”

“Joseph… “Ben said in a warning tone. Little Joe knew enough to back off that particular topic or it might be him who will be feeling that switch on his bottom. 

“If I’m naughty there will be dirty black coal in my stocking.” Sparky stated that shadow again crossing his little face. “I haven’t been very good lately have I?”

“You haven’t been naughty enough though for Santa to either put coal in your stocking or to leave a switch to spank you.” Ben stated emphatically and giving Little Joe a stern look.

“Really Papa?”

“Yes Sparky, really. I wouldn’t worry about either of those things being there for you for Christmas.” 

“A Christmas tree is a tree we will all go out with a sled to pick out, usually a pine tree and we put it in the house and decorate it with all manner of pretty things. We popcorn and string cranberries to decorate the tree with. Then we light the candles on the tree and it is so beautiful. You never seen anything like it Sparky.” Hoss told him. 

Again a shadow flickered across the little mite’s face.

“Christmas is a lot of fun Sparky!” Little Joe shared excitedly. 

The little boy mulled over all this information in his little head. He couldn’t understand how someone could come down the chimney and why someone would leave presents for everyone. A picture of Aunt Millicent flickered before him and he pushed it away.   
Sparky decided that his brothers were just teasing him and that there wasn’t really a person called Santa Claus. He went into the barn while his brothers were trying to get the morning chores done and he climbed up on Blazes stall wall. Adam came over and plucked him off. “Little one, you know you’re not supposed to be up there.”

“Yes I can. Papa told me I could.”

“And he also told you that you couldn’t do that anymore.”

“You don’t know anything Adam!”

“Nicky, watch how you talk to me young man.”

“No! If I want to climb up here I can!” Sparky climbed right back on top of the stall. 

Adam walked over and plucked him off again and this time Sparky tried to kick Adam. “Nicky, stop that right now. If you don’t I’m going to spank you!”

“No you won’t! You aren’t allowed to spank me unless Papa says so!”

Adam had only spanked Sparky once since he had been with them, when he had caught him putting one of his wooden toys over the fire. That had been in the first few weeks when Sparky was not even speaking then. When Adam looked up over Sparky’s head he   
saw his father. Ben gave a slight nod and Adam promptly sat on a hay bale and flipped his little brother over his knee. “Adam! No! Please don’t spank me! I’ll be good!” Sparky cried as he put his hands behind him to cover his little behind. 

“Too late little brother. You deserve this.” Adam removed the little boy’s hands and gave him five hard swats. The little boy was still kicking and screaming for him to let him down and that Papa was going to be mad at him for spanking him. Adam glanced at his father again and Ben nodded holding up five fingers. Adam applied another five swats hard to that little bottom. Now Sparky was crying and had given over to Adam disciplining him. When Adam glanced up at Ben he held up one finger indicating he should give him one more good swat then let him up. Adam delivered the last swat and then righted his little brother and hugged him to him.   
“I hate to tell you this little one, but you just got spanked by me with your Papa’s permission.” 

Sparky looked up to see his father standing there. 

Ben picked up the little boy and holding him at eye level said, “I told you the other day Nicky that all the rules apply again. Adam promised you that if you tried to kick him again he was going to spank you for that and now he has. What do you have to say for yourself?”

Sparky looked at Adam and said, “I’m sorry for trying to kick you Adam. I won’t do that again.”

“You’re forgiven little one. Just try real hard not to do that again okay?”

“Yes Adam. You spank hard!” Sparky rubbed his stinging bottom. 

Adam tousled his young brother’s hair. Then he took him back from Pa and held him so he could look into his large wet gray eyes.   
“Sparky if you want Santa to bring you presents you have to behave better than this.”

“Yes Adam.” Sparky looked up at his older brother still not understanding about Santa Claus. 

Chapter 23

Ben taking Sparky back from Adam brought the little boy into the house and washed his face and gave him a drink of water. Then he set him down and let him play with his toys for a while, while he worked on the books. 

A few days later Sparky came up to Ben. “Papa? When are we going to visit the Silver Eagle?”

Ben looked up surprised. He was sitting in his favorite chair with a cup of coffee having just finished their supper. “I’m not sure Sparky, why do you want to know?”

“Can I visit with Gregory again and then can he come here again too?”

Ben thought for a moment. Having the other little boy and maybe their family at the Ponderosa for Christmas might be a nice gesture. Ben was a bit worried about taking that trip again while there was still snow on the ground, but with the weather being clear as it had been… maybe… “Well, we’ll see baby. Mr. Walker has to work at the mine and maybe Gregory will not have school. If he doesn’t have school perhaps …” Ben thought about something. Yes, if he could it might be just the thing. If he brought Sparky out there a few days before Christmas, he would have time to do some things for the little boy without him being underfoot and maybe he could spend a few days at Miss Travis’s school as well. He could try it out and see how he reacted. If he was ready, maybe he would start him in school after the Christmas holidays. He’d pick him up on Christmas Eve, no, the day before and they would all go out on Christmas Eve morning to find the perfect tree and then have the tree decorating party with their friends and spend Christmas day together. The boy could stay with them for the week after Christmas and perhaps his parents could come to the Ponderosa for New Years and take Gregory home then. Yes, He would try to arrange this. 

Ben smiled down at his little boy. “I will try Sparky to work it out so you may visit with Gregory and maybe even go to school with him while you are there and then to come home the day before Christmas Eve. Then, on Christmas Eve you can help us find the perfect Christmas Tree and decorate it so Santa can come.”

“Papa?”

“Yes Sparky?”

“How will Santa Claus know Gregory is here instead of his house?”

“I told you son that Santa Claus has powers and knows all.”

“Oh. He knows if I’m being good?”

“Yes, and he also knows if you’re behaving badly as well.”

” Oh.”

Ben picked up the little boy, hugged him and tickled him until he giggled and then set him down.

The week of Christmas Ben along with Hoss and Sparky, drove the sleigh loaded with Christmas gifts for the families, food baskets, clothing as well as baked goods and candy for the children. He had decided to take the sleigh instead of riding their own individual horses. He wanted no chance of another accident happening to his little boy. When they arrived Mike Calahan came to meet them. 

“Hi There Ben!”

“Hi Mike, I have things for everyone in the sleigh.”

“I see you brought along both the biggest and the littlest Cartwrights.”  
Ben chuckled. “Yes I have. Is Linda Walker available?”

“I think so. It’s almost lunch time and Barry should be coming up soon.”

“Good. Sparky wanted to spend some time here with Gregory and I wanted to see if it would be okay for him to stay a few days. I’ll pick him and Gregory up the day before Christmas Eve and then the Walkers can come get him and spend New Year’s with us.”  
Sounds like a plan.” 

Hoss and Ben unloaded the sleigh and stored the goods under Mike’s direction.   
Lunch time arrived and Barry sought out Ben when one of the men told him the boss was looking for him. He outlined what he wanted. Barry looked at his employer. “Mr. Cartwright, I want you to know I’m not taking any disrespect or bad behavior from your boy. I’ll treat him just like my own boys while he’s here. If he deserves a spanking I plan   
on giving it to him.”

Ben looked at Barry puzzled. “Of course I would expect that Barry. I wouldn’t expect anything else.”

“Well, Sir… the last time I saw you and the boy in town it looked like he was being a bit overindulged and spoiled.”

Ben had the grace to flush a bit at that. “Well… Barry he was, but that’s all over now. We’re back to our usual rules and no tolerance of whining, wheedling or tantrum behavior.”

Barry smiled then. “No fighting or starting fights either I take it?”

“Correct. I’m going to talk to Miss Travis as well. I want Sparky to go to school here for a little bit while he is staying here. I trust her to deal with him better than Miss Jones would in Virginia City.”

Barry raised an eyebrow. 

“Well, I’m not too sure he’s ready for school yet, but I want to try him out here first.”

“Well, that should be interesting for a headstrong little boy who is used to getting his way and not having to follow the rules of a classroom.”

Ben grinned. “Yes, it should be.” Seeing Miss Travis come out of the school cabin he excused himself and headed her way.

“Miss Travis, may I have a word with you?”

“Yes Mr. Cartwright. Is everything all right?”

“Yes, of course. I just wanted to talk to you about my boy Sparky.”

“Why don’t we step inside then. It’s rather cold out here and the children are on their lunch break.”

Ben stepped inside. The schoolroom was decorated for Christmas, Pine boughs and red ribbons decorated the classroom giving it a festive air and there was a Christmas tree in the corner decorated with popcorn, cranberries and paper ornaments that had been created by the children. 

Ben looked at the pretty young woman. She had warm brown hair and brown eyes to match. Her skin was clear and her figure was good. She was dress simply and yet attractively. She gestured to him to have a seat at the side of her desk and sat down.  
“Miss Travis I remembered what you said about my son Nicky when he visited your school room when he was here last. I am allowing him to visit Gregory Walker for a few days and I want him to attend school while he is here to see how he does. I want you to treat him as you would one of your pupils. I want you to teach him the rules of the classroom and to also enforce the discipline if the rules aren’t kept.”

She looked up at him in surprise. “Even if that means he gets his hand smacked with a ruler or a spanking or stood in a corner?”

“Yes.” Ben said emphatically. 

The young woman’s eyes widened a bit at this. “How much does he know?”

“Not much I’m afraid. He doesn’t know his letters, numbers or his colors either.”

“Well, that is something we can work on. I can at least introduce him to those three things while he is here.”

“I think he’s a pretty bright child, but I can’t be sure. He recently decided to scribble all over the wall in the house with a pencil. He wasn’t too fond of having to erase every mark he made on the wall paper with my supervising him every inch of the way.”

Miss Travis smiled. “I’m sure he didn’t like that at all.”

“I believe he favors being left handed. He seems to do most things with his left hand.”

“I’ll try to see if I can’t get him to learn to write his letters and numbers.”

“Very good.”

“He’ll have to be redirected however if he begins to wander the classroom. He will have to sit down and do as the other children do.”

“Well, he needs to learn some self-discipline in that area. If he doesn’t do it now, I’m not sure when he will be able to do it.”

“I’ll try to make it fun and interesting for him. I wouldn’t want the little one to not like school from the very beginning.”

“Thank You Miss Travis. I believe I will bring him in now and introduce him to you. Perhaps you can begin him this afternoon to keep him out of trouble while My older son and I finish unloading supplies.”

“Of course.”

Ben found Gregory and Sparky playing in the school area. “Sparky, come here son.”

Sparky came running up to Ben. ” Yes Papa?”

“Mr. Walker says it is all right for you to stay until I come for you. You will behave yourself or you may find yourself in a position you don’t want to be in. Do you understand?”

“Yes Papa, Mr. Walker will spank me.”

“Very good.” 

“I promise I’ll be good Papa.”

“Okay, I want you to meet someone Sparky. You had an opportunity to visit the school the last time you were here and this time I have decided I would like for you to attend school while you are staying here.”

“Attend school? What do you mean Papa?”

“I mean you will sit in the school room with the other children and learn some things. Miss Travis will be showing you letters, numbers and helping you with colors.”

The little boy furrowed his forehead in confusion.

“Come with me and I’ll show you what I mean.” Ben took Sparky’s hand and brought him into the schoolroom. “Sparky, you will be known in school by your given name. The teacher and children will be calling you Nicholas or Nicky. It doesn’t always mean that if they call you that that you are in trouble like at home, but that you need to pay attention okay?”

“Yes Papa.”

“You will be sitting at a desk with other children your age and you must not get up out of your seat without permission from Miss Travis. You raise your hand in the air in order to get your teacher’s attention and so she can give you permission. You do everything she tells you to do. You act respectful to her as well. If you lie, be disrespectful to her, or misbehave she will also punish you.”

Sparky’s eyes grew large and round at this. “She can spank me Papa?”

“Yes as well as do other things like stand you in the corner or smack your hand with a ruler.”

“Oh.”

“Sparky, you just be on your best behavior and do everything you are told to do and everything will be all right. I think you’re going to like being in school. It can be fun and as long as you follow the rules you won’t have to worry about getting into trouble. Miss Travis will not put up with you fighting or starting fights either. Do you understand?”

“Yes Papa.”

“Good.” He hugged the little boy and then turned to Miss Travis. “Sparky’s generally a pretty good child. He doesn’t like being called a baby though and that is the thing that will be the most likely to cause him to fight with another child.”

Clara Travis smiled. “I can understand that perfectly well. I think he’ll be just fine here Mr. Cartwright. I need to call my class back together. Leave him to me. He’ll be just fine.”

Ben gave his little boy one bigger hug. You be good now and I’ll be back to pick you up in three days okay?”

“Yes Papa.”

Ben patted his little backside and put him down and strode from the schoolroom. 

Chapter 24

‘I’m scared. I don’t know anyone, but I do know Gregory.’

The other children filed back into the schoolroom and when they were all seated Miss Travis took Sparky by the hand and brought him up to her desk at the front of the room. “Children, you may remember this little boy from about a month or so ago. He is a guest of Gregory Walker’s He will be attending school here for a few days. He has never been to school and hasn’t learned all the things you have so we will need to help him to learn what he needs to know okay?”

The children replied, “Yes Miss Travis.”

She turned to the little boy who now had his hand in his mouth chewing on his fingers. She could see he was scared. “Nicholas, please take your fingers out of your mouth. I would like you to tell the class your name and how old you are.”

Sparky looked up at her with his large gray eyes worried and scared. 

She smiled warmly at him encouraging him to speak. 

‘She looks nice, she’s not mad or anything.’

Sparky faced the sea of faces and then spoke up. “My name is Nicholas Brett Gibson Cartwright and I am five-years-old.”

“Very good Nicholas.”

“I am called Sparky by my friends or sometimes my Papa and brothers call me Nicky. They only call me Nicholas when I’m in trouble.”  
This brought a bout of laughter from the children, just like the last time and Miss Travis said, “Children, quiet now.”

The children settled down immediately. 

“Nicky, you will sit next to Christopher.” She indicated another small boy with dark brown hair and dark brown eyes.

Sparky went over and sat down. He didn’t know what he was supposed to do now so just sat there. 

Miss Travis then set the older children to read a chapter in their history book, set another group to write vocabulary words and then another group with some arithmetic problems. Then she turned to the younger children. Sparky had his hand in his mouth and was chewing on his fingers again. 

“Nicky, please don’t do that.”

Sparky took his fingers out of his mouth. 

Miss Travis walked over and handed Sparky a slate and a slate pencil. 

Sparky looked up at her inquiringly. 

“Nicky, this is a slate. It is what we use to write on and  
to do other school work on as well. I want you to make these letters and practice writing them on your slate. This is an “A” this is a “B” and this is  
a “C”. Can you do that?”

Sparky remembered he should call her either Ma’am or Miss Travis. “Yes Ma’am.”

“Good. You work on that for a while.” Sparky tried to make the letters Miss Travis showed him, but quickly became bored and began to scribble on his slate.

When Miss Travis noticed this she came over. “Nicholas, I didn’t tell you to scribble on your slate. I told you to copy the letters I showed you how  
to make.” She scolded gently. She erased the child’s scribble and drew the letters on his slate again and handed it back to him. “Nicky if you don’t  
do your school work you won’t be allowed to go to play for recess?”

‘Recess? Hmm… Papa had told him once that recess was a time for the children to play after they did their lessons. Was this a lesson?’

“Miss Travis?” Sparky blurted out without raising his hand.

“Nicky, when we want to ask a question in school we raise our hand and then wait to be called on to speak.”

Sparky looked at her puzzled.

Clara Travis came over and showed him. “You raise your hand like this.” She took his hand and arm and raised it in the air. “When you do this and I see  
your hand I will say, Yes Nicky? Then you may ask your question. Shall we try that?”

“Yes Ma’am.” Sparky raised his hand like he had been shown.

“Yes Nicky?”

“Is this what you gave me to do a lesson?”

Clara Travis smiled. “Yes, it is Nicky.”

“Is recess after I have the lesson?”

Clara Travis smiled again. “Yes Nicky.”

Sparky then looked down at the marks his teacher had made on his slate and he began again to copy them.

After a while Miss Travis glanced up to see what her newest charge was doing. She was pleased to see him diligently copying the letters she had written on his slate. After about ten minutes Sparky stopped. His little hand hurt from the unaccustomed activity and he put his pencil down. He looked around at the other children. 

Christopher next to him glanced over and whispered, “You had better get back to work if you want to go out for recess. Miss Travis won’t let you go unless you finish your work.”

Sparky looked at his slate less than half covered with the letters he was supposed to be copying. He worked on them a little bit more. He noticed Christopher had neatly covered his slate with other strange looking things which he supposed to be letters too. He put down his pencil again his hand hurting now. 

Miss Travis noticed Sparky putting down his pencil and rubbing his hand. She realized the child was not yet used to writing for any length of time and his hand unaccustomed to using the muscles in that way was hurting him. She walked over to see what he had accomplished. 

“Nicky, let me see what you’ve done.” She picked up the slate. She could see the child had worked hard to accomplish what he had completed.   
“Very good Nicky. That’s really good for a first time try.”  
Sparky smiled at the praise. In a few minutes she dismissed the children for recess. 

Gregory came over to Sparky. “Well Sparky, how are you liking school?”  
“I don’t know Gregory. My hand hurts.”

“Oh, it’ll hurt for a little while, but when you learn to write all your letters you’ll get used to it and it won’t hurt so much anymore. Not unless you get stuck writing sentences.”

Sparky’s large gray eyes widened and rounded. “Sentences?”

“Uh huh. She makes you write a sentence over and over until you’ve written it the number of times she says. Usually it’s a hundred times. Sometimes if it’s the younger children it’s fifty times. I’ve seen her give the older boys five hundred times.”

“Gregory, I couldn’t do that!”

“Yeah, ya should hear the older boys groan when she hands out that punishment too. They have a sore hand by the time their done and lots of times come back to school the next day with a sore bottom too.”

The bell rang for the children to return to the schoolroom and the children trooped back in. 

Clara Travis worked with all the grades and gave the younger children work on their colors. Sparky was able to progress with this very quickly. He correctly identified blue, green red and black. He learned yellow, orange, purple, white, brown and pink. The next time Miss Travis would work with him on numbers. She dismissed the children for the day and felt that her newest charge had done remarkably well despite her concerns from the first day she had seen him. Tomorrow however would be another test to see how the child did. 

***

Ben rode along the trail, driving the sleigh with Hoss by his side. 

“Pa, do ya think he’ll do all right, I mean in that school ad all?”

“I think so Hoss. If not, then I know not to send him to school until next fall.”

“Ya really thinking of sending him when the next term begins and let old Jonesy get her claws into him?”

“Hoss!”

“I’m sorry Pa. I never did like the woman.”

Ben chuckled. Well… I tend to agree with you. If Sparky had a bit of a head start however perhaps he’ll do okay.”

***

Gregory and Sparky walked back to the Walker’s cabin. Linda Walker was expecting the boys and had milk and cookies ready for them in front of a warm stove. Ricky came running over and ended up spilling Sparky’s glass of milk all over Sparky.

The little boy jumped up, “Hey! Watch what you’re doing!”

“Sorry Sparky.”

Linda came to the rescue and mopped up the spilled milk and wiped off Sparky. “Go into the room where you and Gregory are staying and get some dry clothes sweetheart.”

Sparky went into the room he shared with Gregory while staying at the Walkers and found some clean clothes. The jeans were a little too big and too long. When Sparky came back out almost tripping over the long pants she stopped him and bent down to roll up the bottoms so he wouldn’t trip over them. Ricky had already outgrown them, but little Sparky hadn’t grown enough to fit into them yet. 

At supper Sparky played with his food. 

Barry walker eyed the child. “Nicky, eat your supper or there will be no dessert.”  
Sparky looked up at him startled. He had been still getting away with this little ploy at home because Ben had a difficult time denying the boy food because of is background. 

Sparky ignored the edict and when Linda passed out dessert she passed Sparky on by.   
“Where’s my dessert Mrs. Walker?”

“Well honey, if you weren’t hungry enough to eat your supper, I know you’re not hungry enough for dessert.”

“But Papa always lets me have dessert whether I finish my supper or not!”

“Well sweetheart, not in our house.”

Sparky was mad now. “I want my dessert!”

“Excuse me?” Linda asked her hands on her hips.

“I want my dessert and I want it now!” Sparky shouted in a temper tantrum now.

“Well Nicholas, all you are getting right now for your tantrum is an early bed time.” Linda stated.

Sparky looked shocked. Being sent to bed early? How can that be. She couldn’t do that!

“I won’t go!” Sparky began to cry then. Linda had seen this ploy with all of her own children. She reached over, plucked Sparky up out of his chair and stood him in a corner in the kitchen.   
“You may stay in the corner young man until you can apologize and stop having a tantrum.”

Sparky stomped his feet and cried harder and kicked the wall in front of him. 

Barry had seen enough. Bosses son or not he was acting like a little brat. The man walked over to the child and plucking him up sat down on one of the chairs and flipped the little boy face down across his knee. 

This got instant results. Sparky all of a sudden felt himself flying through the air and landing face down across Mr. Walker’s knee.

“I’m sorry! Please don’t spank me!” Sparky begged his little hands plastered to his bottom to protect it from what he knew would be painful. 

“No, that apology is a bit too late young man.” Barry removed the little hands and planted five good hard swats to that little bottom. 

Sparky burst into tears and was embarrassed to have been spanked by Gregory’s father.   
Barry let him up and stood him back in the corner. “Let’s see if you can stand in the corner the way you should without having a tantrum about it.”

“Yes Sir.” Sparky said through the tears running down his little face. 

For the next five minutes Sparky stood perfectly still in the corner rubbing his bottom and sniffling. When his time was up Barry called the boy out of the corner and gave him a big hug. “Are you all right?”

“Yes Sir. I’m sorry for having a tantrum.”

“Your apology is accepted, but I think you owe Mrs. Walker an apology as well.”

Sparky went over to Mrs. Walker and made his apology as well. 

When Sparky and Gregory were in his room Sparky said, “Gregory I forgot how hard your Papa spanks.”

“I didn’t. That’s why I don’t get into trouble very often. I don’t like getting spanked by Ma either. She uses her wooden spoon or her hairbrush or gets the switch. All of them hurt like the dickens and it’s tough to sit down afterward. I’d watch myself if I were you Sparky. I don’t think you want any more spankings from Pa or one from Ma either.”

Sparky rubbed his still warm bottom and nodded to his friend. 

When it came time for bed Sparky’s bottom didn’t hurt anymore and he and Gregory were playing with Gregory’s soldiers when Linda came in and told the boys it was time for bed. They gathered up their soldiers and put them away and prepared for bed. 

“Gregory?”

“What?”

“I’m worried about school tomorrow.”

“There’s nothing to worry about. Just do what you’re told and everything will be all right.”

“Is that all I have to do?”

“Yep.”

“Okay.”

The next morning Sparky went to the schoolroom with Gregory. He sat in the desk next to Christopher as he had done the day before when they had been called into the school. 

Miss Travis came over and said, “Good morning Nicky. Today I want you to copy some more letters on your slate.” She wrote the letters  
D, E, F and G.

Sparky watched as she wrote the letters on his slate. When she handed the slate and pencil back to him he began the task she had set him to.

‘I don’t think I like doing this lesson. My hand hurts when I make these lines.’ 

He put down his pencil and looked around at the other children. He saw  
Gregory reading a book and got up and wandered over to him and asked “Gregory, what are you doing?”

Gregory looked up in surprise at his friend. “Sparky, you better go back and sit down at your desk before you get into trouble for leaving your desk without  
permission.”

Miss Travis saw the younger boy approach his friend. She excused herself from the part of the class she was teaching an arithmetic lesson and came over  
to the little boy. “Nicholas, my students aren’t allowed to get up and wander the schoolroom without permission. Come back and sit at your desk.   
Let me see how much you have finished on your letters.”  
She took the little boy by the hand and led him back to his seat. “If you want to leave your desk Nicky you need to ask permission. Do you understand? Even to go to the outhouse or to get a drink of water?”

“Yes Ma’am.”

“Okay.” She picked up his slate and saw he had copied the first two letters she had set him to copying, but had not even attempted the rest. “Nicholas, you will  
copy the rest of these letters that are written on your slate. If I don’t see all the letters copied you will not be going out for recess. Instead you  
will be spending recess standing in the corner. Is that perfectly clear?”

‘Uh oh, no recess and standing in the corner?’

He looked up at her with his large gray eyes and replied, “Yes Miss Travis.”

“Good.” She walked away to attend to her other students and Sparky set to work copying more of the letters he had started and working on the ones he had not  
finished.

Chapter 25

When it came time for recess Miss Travis came over and checked Sparky’s work. “Very good Nicky. You’ve done enough of your letters to be allowed to go out for recess.”  
She smiled at him and he took off out the door with the rest of the children.

Gregory caught up with his friend. “Hey Sparky, what did ya think ya were doing?”

“What?”

“Ya don’t just get up out of your seat and wander around like that. Ya’re lucky that ya are new to this school thing or Miss Travis might have made ya stand  
in the corner or swatted ya for doing that.”

Sparky’s eyes grew wide and round. “She wouldn’t have done that would she?”

“Oh yes she would. Ya almost got me in trouble too for talking in school.”

“I’m sorry Gregory, I don’t want to get you in trouble.”

“That’s okay because ya don’t know all the rules yet, but once ya do there won’t be any more excuses and ya’ll find yaself with punishments and Miss Travis  
can sure give em out when she has a mind to.”

They went back into the schoolroom when the bell summoned them.

Sparky looked around as he sat down at his desk again. He watched Christopher writing something on his slate. ” What are you doing Christopher?”

“Writing some sentences.”

“Did you get punished and have to write sentences?”

“No dummy. It’s my after recess assignment. Ya really a baby aren’t ya?”

“I am not!” Sparky shouted.

“Well ya must be. Ya don’t’ seem to know anything.”

Sparky jumped up and punched Christopher in the nose. Christopher jumped up and punched Sparky in the eye. Before long the two little boys were rolling around  
On the floor by their desks fighting with each other. Miss Travis had been on the other side of the room with some of the girls going to do a sewing lesson.  
She had heard the little boys talking and had just been ready to scold them when she heard the shouting that all of a sudden erupted into a fight.

She strode over to the two combatants and grabbed them each by an arm and pulled them to their feet. They were both bloody and bruised.

“What’s going on here!”

“He started it miss Travis, he punched me first!” Christopher cried.

“He called me a baby!” Sparky cried.

“Well, the two of you will be thinking about something else besides name calling and fighting by the time I’m through with you!”

She sat each boy at his desk and went over to the water pail and cleaned them both up from their bloody noses and then placed the cold rag over Sparky’s  
swollen right eye. Once she had ministered to the two little boys she hauled them up to the front of the room.

“I am going to show the school how children who fight in the schoolroom are dealt with.”

Christopher began to cry. He knew what she was going to do because he had seen her spank other children in the schoolroom for this before.

Sparky had no idea what was going to happen and looked at Christopher already crying. 

Miss Travis stood Sparky in front of her. “Young man, I do not tolerate fighting of any kind in the schoolroom. Children who start fights get spanked as well as those who participate in them.”

She went to her desk and took the paddle out of her desk drawer. She went back to Sparky and pulling him over her lap cracked him across his little seat with the paddle administering two very hard whacks. 

Sparky felt a funny sinking feeling in his stomach as Miss Travis pulled him across her knee and then let out a howl as his backside exploded in pain from the paddle. He had never been spanked with a paddle before and the very first whack set his little bottom on fire. When she was through Sparky had tears streaming down his face and was rubbing his bottom frantically trying to get the fire out that Miss Travis had set there without success. Then she pulled Christopher across her knee and delivered one very hard whack to his seat as well. She had given Sparky two whacks because he had started the physical fight. Then she made the two little boys sit at their desks. 

Sparky let out an “Ouch!” and jumped up from his hard seat because his bottom hurt to sit on for the first time when he had received a spanking. 

Miss Travis came over and gently, but firmly made him sit down. “Sparky, I know your bottom hurts to sit on, but you will sit and if you get up before you have permission to do so you will receive another whack with the paddle is that clear?”

“Yes Ma’am.” Sparky said through his tear filled eyes. 

She then set Christopher to writing fifty times “I will not call other children names.”

She picked up Sparky’s slate and wrote the letters H, I, J, K and L. “You will work on copying these letters Nicky. You will also eat your lunch here in the schoolroom and both you and Christopher will not be going outside for afternoon recess. You will sit here and continue to work on your lessons.”

Sparky was miserable. His eye was hurting now and his backside was hurting too. He felt sick. He wanted to go home and he wanted his Papa. He didn’t like this school thing at all. 

At the end of the day Miss Travis gave Sparky a piece of paper and told him, “you bring this to Mr. Walker and have him sign it and give it back to me in the morning.”

“Yes Ma’am. Is this a note?”

“Yes Nicholas, it is.”

“Oh.” Sparky was worried now. He knew when Little Joe brought home a note from the teacher at school he usually ended up getting a spanking from Pa or some other kind of punishment. He knew he was in trouble now. 

Gregory walked back home with Sparky. “Sparky, man are you in trouble. A note home from the teacher. Pa isn’t going to like that. Getting spanked in school for fighting. He isn’t going to like that either. I think your Pa told him to spank you for fighting before he left”. 

Sparky dragged his feet the whole way home. When he got there he handed Mr. Walker the note and when Barry saw Sparky’s black eye was rather upset. Ben hadn’t wanted this for the boy and so close to Christmas too. He knew Ben had hoped that school would be a good experience for his son. Not him getting into fights and trouble at school. 

Barry took Sparky into the bedroom he shared with Linda to talk to the child and to give him a little privacy for his forthcoming spanking. Barry had had his orders about spanking Sparky for fighting. If it had been anything but this he could have sent him to bed early, no dessert, corner time, something like that. Fighting…well…he had no choice. 

Barry looked at the little mite in front of him. The child seemed so small and fragile next to his very large and robust boys. He would take care to not spank him too hard. “Sparky, why did Miss Travis give you a note to take home to me?”

Sparky didn’t look at Mr. Walker. He was too ashamed. 

Barry put his finger under the boy’s chin and looked into the one good large gray eye that was not swollen shut. 

“I’m not sure. I got into a fight with Christopher at school and she spanked us with a paddle for it.”

“I see… who started the fight?”

“Christopher did. He called me a baby.”

“Who threw the first punch Nicholas?”

Sparky was surprised to hear his full name come out of Mr. Walkers mouth and the very stern no nonsense look he had on his face. 

“I did Sir.” Sparky said in a small scared voice. 

Barry just nodded. He unfolded the note and read it.

‘Mr. Walker, I regret to inform you that I had to administer two hard whacks with the school paddle to Sparky’s seat for starting a fight with Christopher Samuels. Christopher did call Sparky a “baby”, but it was Nicholas who threw the first punch. I cannot tolerate this kind of behavior in the schoolroom. If the child is unable to control his temper I may not be able to allow him to return to school. Please see me tomorrow morning to help me make this decision.’

Barry signed the note and returned it to Sparky. “Nicholas, I will have to come with you to school in the morning to see if you may stay in school.”

Sparky’s head came up at that startled. Not be allowed to go back to school? Papa definitely wouldn’t like that!

Barry stood the little boy in front of him. “Nicky, before your father left you with me he told me to deal with you as I saw fit for most things, but on the issue of fighting he was very specific. He told me if you were in a fight you were to get a sound spanking.” 

Sparky glanced up with trepidation. A sound spanking usually meant a bare bottom one. Nicky gulped.   
“Yes Sir.” 

“Okay, then, let’s get this over with.”

Sparky lay on his tummy on his bed his eyes red rimmed and feeling totally miserable. His little bottom hurt. The spanking after having been paddled had hurt a lot. 

 

Gregory came in after a while.   
“Ya okay?”

“Yes Gregory, except my bottom hurts.”

“Yeah, Pa don’t tickle when he’s upset. 

The next morning Barry walked a very sorry Nicholas over to the school. Miss Travis saw them coming and greeted them at the door.   
“Hello Mr. Walker, Nicholas.”

“Miss Travis, you wanted to talk about whether Nicky Cartwright can stay in school or not?”

“Yes.” She turned and indicated a chair for Mr. Walker to sit on. Sparky stayed standing. His little bottom still hurt enough to not be able to sit down comfortably. 

“Miss Travis?”

“Yes Nicholas?”

“I’m sorry for starting a fight in the schoolroom with Christopher and I promise to behave and follow the rules.”

“Your apology is accepted Nicholas, but how will you be able to avoid fighting in the schoolroom again? Especially if another child calls you a “baby”?”

“I’ll try not to get mad. Can I come and tell you instead?”

“Yes, you may if you take the time to think of that instead of just jumping up and hitting the child.”

“I promise to try very hard to not get into any more trouble Miss Travis. I want to stay in school. My Papa wouldn’t be very happy with me if I can’t come back to school after being in school for only a short time.”

“Yes Nicholas, I agree he wouldn’t be very happy with you. As it is, I’m certain he won’t be very happy with you having been fighting in school. Getting spanked in school I’m sure won’t make him happy with you either.”

“Yes Ma’am. Mr. Walker spanked me for fighting in school and getting a note sent home.”

“I see… do you think you learned your lesson?”

“Yes Ma’am, no fighting in school.” Sparky rubbed his still sore little bottom. 

“Miss Travis, I think you should give Nicky one more chance.”

“Nicholas, If I allow you to stay in school I will expect you to not start any more fights, to stay put in your seat and to do your work is that understood young man?”

“Yes Ma’am.”

“Then go take your seat.”

Sparky walked over to his desk and gingerly sat on his sore bottom. He squirmed uncomfortably, not being able to find a position to sit that didn’t hurt. 

When Christopher arrived he too sat gingerly and squirmed as much as Sparky in his seat. 

Sparky wrote the rest of the letters he had not copied from the day before. He copied the letters, W, X, Y and Z. At recess he was allowed to go outside with the other children and he was relieved to be able to get up so he didn’t have to sit on his sore bottom. He rubbed his aching bottom and notice Christopher did too. 

Sparky went over to Christopher. “Christopher, I don’t think I apologized to you for hitting you yesterday.”

“Well, I don’t think I said I was sorry for calling you a baby either.”

Sparky gave him a big grin. “Mr. Walker was a stand in for my father and spanked me good for fighting.”

“My Pa did too. He uh…uhm…” Christopher turned red.

Sparky turned just as red when he said, “Me too. Mr. Walker did as good as my Papa would have.” Both little boys stood there rubbing their backsides before being called back into the school house and having to sit again. 

Chapter 26

Christopher was a year older than Sparky and a half head taller as well. They began to form a good friendship however. 

Sparky had settled down and his second full day of school went pretty well. After recess he learned to write the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 0. 

Sparky and Christopher stood together in the school yard eating their lunch and still rubbing sore backsides. They talked and Sparky told him about his Papa, Adam, Hoss, Little Joe and Hop Sing. He told him about his pony Blaze as well. Christopher wanted to know if Blaze was here with him, but Sparky told him no. Then he told him about the accident he had had just after Halloween. He told him how he had lived with the Indians for a few weeks and how they brought him home on Thanksgiving. 

“Gee Nicky, you sure have had some adventures haven’t you?”

“Yes, but some of them haven’t been all that good.”

“You used to live at the Green Backs mine didn’t you?”  
A shadow crossed the little boy’s face at this question. Then he remembered Mr. Walker’s words to him that people would be curious and ask, but that he didn’t need to feel ashamed or embarrassed by that part of his life.   
“Yes, but that’s something I don’t like to talk about. It was a bad time.”

“Sorry, Nicky, I didn’t mean to make you sad.”

“It’s okay. Mr. Walker told me people would ask, but that there was nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about.”

“Well…in a way, it kind of makes you one of us. You know what I mean? You know the life we lead and you don’t look down on us because of it.”

Sparky thought about that for a while. “You’re right Christopher, I do understand and I don’t think less of the kids who live here, they’re just like me.”

The little boys grinned at each other then. 

“Nicky, what was it like living with the Indians for those few weeks?”

Sparky had to think about that for a moment. “Not too much different from when I lived at the mine. Everyone fed you, you just went to bed when you were tired and didn’t have many rules you had to follow. You did have to behave, do what they told you. They didn’t like fighting either.”

“Really? I would have thought they would like fighting, all the fighting they do and all.”

“No, they don’t like their children fighting with each other just like here.”

“How do you know?”

Sparky reddened a bit. “Because I got into some fights with some of the older boys and got spanked by the chief for it.”

“Really?!”

“Yes, but don’t tell anyone. I don’t think my Papa knows about that and he would be pretty angry with me if he knew.”

“Nicky, why do you fight everybody?”

“I don’t fight everybody, just those kids who call me a “baby”.”

“Why?”

“Because I hate it. When I lived at the Green Backs mine all the older boys would tease me all the time and call me a baby. I didn’t talk to anyone in those times because I had to keep a secret my Grandfather told me and there were bad men who were trying to find out. They even tried to kill me.”

“You’re kidding.”

“No.”

“Gee Nicky, now I can see why you don’t like to be called a “baby”.”

Miss Travis called the children in from lunch. Sparky wrote simple words that Miss Travis gave him on his slate now that he had learned to copy all his letters. 

At afternoon recess Gregory joined Sparky and Christopher and the boys played until they were called in to school for the rest of the day. The balance of the afternoon Sparky spent working on some simple arithmetic problems. 

The next Morning Sparky again wrote words on his slate, worked on identifying colors and followed the rules. At morning recess, He and Christopher talked again. 

“Nicky, is your bottom still sore?”

“No, not any more. Only my eye hurts now.”

“I’m really sorry for giving you a black eye.”

“Well… it’s not the first one I’ve had.”

“Is your Pa coming to get you today?”

“Yes, he did say three days and this is the third day.”

“I heard Gregory and his family will be going home with you.”

“Yes, He’s spent a weekend with me once before and Papa thought he and his family might enjoy spending Christmas with us.”

“I wish I could come too. I don’t have any brothers and sisters and with Gregory gone it will be kind of lonely.”

“Well, I’ll ask my Papa, maybe he’ll let you and your parents come too.”

“Do you think he might? I mean, after all we had the fight and all…”

Sparky laughed. “Shoot that was how Gregory and I met too. We had a big fight the first time I met him. His Pa spanked him and my Papa spanked me. We both had a black eye out of it too.”

“So that’s how Gregory had that black eye back in September.”

“Uh huh.”

“Well, I hope your Pa says yes.”   
The school bell was rung and all the children went back inside. 

Ben arrived when school let out at lunchtime of the third day of Sparky attending school. When he pulled up in the sleigh with Adam this time Sparky was glad to see them. 

Adam went over to his little brother and seeing his shiner quirked an eyebrow at him. “Fighting again little brother?”

“Yes. Mr. Walker spanked me for it and Miss Travis paddled me too.”

Adam groaned. “Sparky, don’t tell me you had a fight in school.”

“Yes.”

“Oh man, Pa isn’t going to be very happy with you.”

Sparky hung his head. I know Adam.”

Ben strode over and when he saw is little son sporting another shiner sighed.   
“What happened this time Nicholas?”

“I started a fight in the schoolroom when one of the other boys, Christopher, who is now my friend called me a baby. Miss Travis whacked me twice with a paddle over her knee and then made me sit down. Papa, that really hurt! Then Mr. Walker gave me a sound spanking for fighting like you told him to do if I started a fight.”

Ben almost had to chuckle at his child’s recitation. At least the little boy didn’t lie. 

“Well… let’s find Miss Travis and let her know you’ll be leaving as well as Gregory.”

“Papa, can Christopher, his Mama and Papa come too?”

“Hmm… we’ll see. We’ll be heading home soon. I want to talk to Miss Travis before we do and Gregory and his family are getting ready to come with us. After I  
talk to Miss Travis I’ll think about Christopher and his parents joining us.”

“Thank you Papa.”

“Adam?”

“Yes Pa?”

“Will you look after your brother while I talk to Miss Travis?”

“Yes Sir.” Adam went over and picked up his little brother. He gave him another big hug and then asked, “Is your bottom still sore?”

“No, but my eye still hurts.”

“I’m glad that your bottom isn’t sore, it’s a pretty long ride home.”

“It hurt a lot yesterday though. Those desk seats are hard.”

“You know Sparky, believe it or not I know all about that.”

Sparky eyed his oldest brother. “You had to sit at your desk with a sore bottom Adam?”

“Yes, but not too many times. I found out real quick that that was something I didn’t really like to have to do.”

“I don’t like having to do it either.”

“Well little brother, if you learned that much out of it then I’d say you learned your lesson.”

Miss Travis saw Benjamin Cartwright at her schoolroom door and smiled.  
“Come in Mr. Cartwright.”

Ben entered the schoolroom and approached Miss Travis’s desk.

“Have a seat Sir.”

“I wanted to know how my son did these past few days and what you think about him beginning school.”

“Well Mr. Cartwright the first thing is that he gets easily bored and easily distracted. He’s impulsive. He doesn’t think about the consequences of things  
before he acts upon them. He needs to become more tolerant of other children. I assume you already have seen him and know about the fight he had in the  
schoolroom?”

“I saw his black eye and he did confess to me about fighting and the consequences you provided him.” Ben smiled at that.

“You did tell me to enforce the consequences even if it were to be a spanking.”

“Oh, I’m not complaining. He definitely deserved it. I’m quite sure he was very much impacted by receiving a couple of whacks with your paddle as he had never  
been spanked with one before. In fact, he has never been spanked with anything but someone’s hand before.”

Miss Travis blushed, “I’m sorry, I didn’t know that I might not have used the paddle on him then.”

“Oh no, he needed to experience it at some time. Miss Jones wouldn’t have stopped at only two. She would probably have given him as many as six.”

“For a child that young? That’s terrible!”

“Well, that’s one of the reasons I’m trying to decide about when to send him to school. She can be pretty harsh with her punishment.”

“His writing skills are average for a child his age and have not ever had to write before. I’d recommend that he continue to practice to build up endurance  
and the muscles in his writing hand.”

“We can do that I’m sure.”

“He’s real good on recognizing his colors, seems to be able to grasp the concept of arithmetic and I believe he is a rather bright child. He does need to however get over his sensitivity about being called a baby or being  
referred to as a baby. As you predicted that was what the fight was about. His desk mate Christopher said he was a baby and Nicholas hit him.”

“I’ll have to have another talk with him about that.”

“I didn’t have time to assess his recognition skills in regard to his potential reading ability, but I would like to see him attempt that before going into  
the schoolroom. Perhaps you may work with him on his basics before he starts school, have him start next fall and work with him on the things he will need  
to know between now and then.”

“We’ll try. With Myself and my older boys working the ranch all day and my cook being Chinese I’m afraid there isn’t much time for it.”

“I’m sure you’ll do your best Mr. Cartwright.”

“Thank you Miss Travis. Do you know where I may find Christopher’s parents?”

“Certainly, they live next door to the Walker family.”

“Thank you Miss Travis.”

“You’re welcome Mr. Cartwright.”

Ben left the school and wandered over to Ron and Joyce Samuels home.

Chapter 27

Adam and Sparky walked together with Gregory following behind. Adam was observing the mining community and liked what he saw. It was cleaner than most and  
the people there seemed happier than most.

AS they approached the Walker house Linda Walker called the boys into her cabin. “You must be Adam, I’m Linda Walker.”

“Hello Mrs. Walker.”

“I have cookies and milk for all of you.”

“Thanks Mrs. Walker.”

Ricky seeing Sparky ran over to him and shoved him down hard. Sparky fell on his backside and sat there stunned for a moment. Then he jumped up and started  
for Ricky. Adam quickly caught up his little brother in his arms and wouldn’t let him go.

“Adam! Let me go! I’m going to kill him!”

“No you won’t. If you don’t stop this right now Nicholas, I’ll spank you.” Adam said quietly. Sparky stopped his fighting immediately. He knew Adam would  
spank him and his spankings hurt.

Linda grabbed her son and walked over to the corner where a switch leaned against the wall. She sat down on a chair and said, “Ricky, come over here. You were warned what was going to happen if you pushed other children down again.”

Ricky stood there for a moment, then reluctantly walked to his mother’s side. Linda pulled the little boy over her knee and applied the switch to the seat of his pants making quite sure it found the right places. When she was through she helped the little boy off her lap and guided him into the corner.  
“You stand there now little boy and think about why your bottom is sore.”

Ricky didn’t budge. He stood there tears running down his little face and his backside burning and stinging.

Linda turned to Sparky, “I’m sorry honey that Ricky pushed you down again. are you all right?”

Sparky blushed a little. My bottom hurts a bit, but other than that I’m all right.”

Linda came over and gave Sparky a big hug and plopped a cushion on a chair before putting him down into it. Adam and Sparky, along with Gregory ate cookies and drank milk. 

When Ben knocked on the door he was admitted by Linda. He observed the scene in front of him. When he saw Sparky sitting on a cushion he eyed his son. Linda seeing the boy’s father’s stance said, “Sparky was pushed onto his bottom by my son Ricky. He’s a little sore, but nothing permanent. Ricky’s bottom I’m certain is much more sore than Sparky’s at the moment. 

Ben then noticed a small boy reminiscent of his Hoss when he was young standing in the corner tears coursing down his little face. The boy although Ben knew he was younger than Sparky was also a head taller than his son. 

“Sparky, Christopher, along with his parents are coming with us too. Gregory looked up and smiled. “That’ll be fun. All three of us boys can have a lot of fun together.”

“And get into a lot of mischief together as well.” Linda said dryly. 

After a bit Barry arrived and Ben greeted him warmly. “All set for a Christmas celebration?”

” Sure am Ben. I hope my boys won’t be a lot of trouble.”

“I’m sure we can keep all the boys in line among us. Ron and Joyce Samuels along with their son Christopher will be joining us too.”

“Well now, that should be a house full, The Samuels are nice people.”

Then Barry saw his youngest in the corner and he glanced at Linda.

“Well, Ricky has already started in by pushing Sparky down as soon as he walked in the door.”

“I’ll have a talk with him about that.”

“I already made it very clear to him that that behavior won’t be tolerated.”

“Good.”

The family gathered all they would need for the trip to the Ponderosa. 

Ron and Joyce Samuels joined them outside with all they too would need. Adam helped the adults into the sleigh and then Brian and Danny. Adam handed Ricky up and Linda put him in her lap. He wasn’t very comfortable because of his sore bottom. Then Adam and Ben helped the three small boys into the sleigh. Ben placed a pad of blankets on the hard surface for Sparky to sit on since his backside was bruised from Ricky’s pushing him down. The three boys snuggled up under the other blankets and were warm as toast the rest of the way back to the Ponderosa. 

Ben knew that Sparky’s bed was big enough for all three boys to sleep together. Christopher was a head taller than Sparky, being almost seven. He would be seven in January. Gregory was taller than both boys, even though he was just a few months older than Christopher. 

As the three boys ran into Sparky’s room Ben admonished them about playing in the bedroom. He left them to get settled in. Ben then went to help the rest of his guests settle in as well. Ricky stayed with his parents and Brian and Danny bunked in with Hoss. 

When Sparky, Gregory and Christopher came running down the stairs like a herd of horses, Ben stood at the bottom and eyeing all three of them made them go back up and walk down the steps. He eyed Sparky and said, “Sparky, I know you know better than to be running up and down the steps. I’m leaving it up to you to teach your guests about the rules that need to be followed here at the house and in the barn.”

“Yes Papa.” Sparky turned to his companions and said, “No arguing, no pushing and no fighting. We’re not supposed to run up and down the stairs and we’re not supposed to jump on my bed either.”

Ben smiled to himself at the last one and glad that Sparky had taken that to heart. 

“Sparky I’m sure there are several more rules you know that you need to tell your friends about.”

“Yes Papa, no running through the kitchen, no climbing on the stalls in the barn, the machinery in the barn, the corral fence or anything else. No stealing cookies either. No dessert if you don’t eat your supper and no riding on my pony without permission.”  
Sparky looked at his father to see if he left out anything else that was of importance. 

“No throwing pebbles, stones or rocks at each other or anything else. No crawling out your window or climbing trees right now either. You’re too small for that.”

Sparky gave his father a dark look for that last part. 

Both his friends could probably handle climbing a tree, but Ben didn’t want to be responsible if one of them fell out.

Sparky thought again and said, “We have to listen to Papa, Hop Sing, Adam and Hoss too.”

Ben smiled. “Very good Sparky. I’m sure if you think of anything else you will let your friends know.”

“Yes Papa.”

The three boys went into the great room and played with Sparky’s toys near the hearth and Ben went to his desk to work on the books and watch the little boys play. 

Linda, Barry, along with Ricky, Brian and Danny came downstairs after settling in. Ron and Joyce Samuels joined them in a little bit. Ricky wanted to get down and play with the other boys, but Linda restrained him. “Little boy your are being punished for pushing Sparky down. You will stay here in my lap.”

Ricky began to whine and Linda flipped him over and gave him a pop on his still somewhat tender bottom. He stopped immediately and in a bit fell asleep in Linda’s arms. 

Brian and Danny joined the three other boys in play.

Little Joe came home from school with a scowl on his face. He went into the barn to put up his horse. It wasn’t his fault that the popcorn had exploded all over the place in the schoolroom. He had been certain that the basket had been securely fastened closed before he had placed it on the stove. Miss Jones hadn’t believed him though. He had a sneaking suspicion though that the new boy Kyle Moffat had had something to do with it. The only problem was that Kyle wasn’t the one who had to bring a note home from school. 

After putting his horse up and doing his chores Little Joe came into the great room for supper and was surprised to find the great room filled with people. He remembered Gregory Walker, but he had no idea who the other boys were. He noticed one of the younger boys playing with Sparky. This boy was bigger than Sparky, but smaller than Gregory. There would be few children that were Sparky’s age or even Gregory’s age who would be bigger than Gregory. This boy fell in between the two. He had a mischievous smile, had dark brown hair and dark brown eyes like Gregory. Both Sparky’s friends were such a contrast to his little brother who was tiny, blonde and had large grey eyes. 

Little Joe made note of the other children, There was a young boy sitting in a woman’s lap sleeping. He was bigger than Sparky. He also saw a boy about the size of Hoss and another one about as tall as Adam and surmised these were the Walker brothers. 

Then Little Joe noticed his little brother also sported a black eye. ‘Fighting again, no doubt. I suppose Pa had to spank him again for that. When was he going to learn to not do that?’ 

Little Joe hadn’t seen his little brother for a few days and had missed him. He walked over and plucked him up from the floor and hugged him tight.   
“Hi there little one.”

“Hi Little Joe.”

“I see you’ve been fighting again?”

“Yes, with my friend Christopher when I went to school.”

“Sparky, you know you shouldn’t fight, especially in school.”

“I found that out Little Joe when Miss Travis spanked Christopher and me with the school paddle. She spanked me two times with it and Christopher once. That really hurt Little Joe. Then Mr. Walker gave me a sound spanking for starting the fight. Christopher called me a “baby” and I didn’t like it.”

“Well Sparky, just because someone calls you a name doesn’t mean you should start a fight. I would have thought you would have learned that by now. The last time you did that at church Pa spanked you right there in the churchyard. You said that was really embarrassing and that you wouldn’t do that again.” 

Sparky flushed and hid his red face in his brother’s green jacket. Little Joe hugged him. 

“Little Joe, did you have to say that out loud in front of my friends?”

“Sorry Sweet Pea, I didn’t mean to embarrass you in front of your friends, but I’m concerned about you getting into fights all the time. One day you’re going to get really hurt. Besides Miss Jones won’t just give you two swats with the paddle if you get into a fight at school. She’ll give you at least six.”

Sparky’s one good eye widened and rounded at this. “Six?!”

“Uh huh. I can tell you from experience that it hurts real bad and makes even the big boys cry and then they have to sit on their sore bottoms afterward as well.”

“Little Joe, I don’t want that to happen to me.”

“Then you had better stop fighting. Did Pa spank you for fighting this time?”

“No, Little Joe, at least not yet.”

“How come your bottom is still sore?”

“How did you know?””  
I saw you wince when you sat on the floor.”  
“Gregory’s little brother, Ricky,” Sparky pointed to the child in the woman’s lap, “Pushed me down and I have bruises on my backside because of that.”

“Oh, I see… well, little brother, I hope Pa doesn’t decide to spank you for getting in trouble at school.”

Sparky looked worriedly over at Ben. He remembered that Papa had said something about that if Mr. Walker had had to spank him for fighting he would spank him as well. 

Ben sat at his desk amused at Little Joe scolding Sparky for his fighting. He had meant to talk to the boy, but maybe his brother’s little lecture in front of his friends would be more effective than anything he could say to the little boy right now. He saw the worried expression on his son’s face as he looked his way. Ben decided to let him be a little worried for a little while as to whether he would be getting another spanking or not. He wouldn’t be giving him another one because he had been punished enough between being paddled in school and spanked by Mr. Walker. If he hadn’t been paddled at school, he would have spanked him again. 

Chapter 28

Ben looked up at Little Joe and introduced him to The Walkers, their sons, Brian, Danny and Ricky, the Samuels and Sparky’s newest little friend. “Little Joe, I want you to meet Christopher Samuels. Christopher, this is Sparky’s big brother, Little Joe.”

“How come he’s called Little Joe?”

“Because he was my youngest child before Sparky came to my family.”

Sparky still held in his big brother’s arms looked a bit nervous at his father’s words. 

Little Joe hugged him close. 

“Hello Little Joe.”

“Hello Christopher, glad to meet ya.”

“Me too.” 

Little Joe then put Sparky down and all the boys went back to their play.

“Pa?”

“Yes Little Joe?”

“Can we go somewhere more private?”

“What’s wrong?”

“Uhm… I got a note from Miss Jones.”

“I see… why don’t you go to your room and I’ll meet you there in a little bit?”

“Yes Sir.”

Adam and Hoss came in then and Hoss was introduced to everyone. He and Brian sized each other up and then smiled. It wasn’t very often Hoss or Brian had a person their age who was also their size.   
Hoss then, seeing his baby brother whom he hadn’t seen for the last few days went over and grabbed up Sparky and tossed him up high in the air. “How ya doing little one?”

“Okay Hoss!”

Hoss hugged him and patted his little bottom. He noticed Sparky wince and his black eye.”  
“Fighting again little brother?”

“Uhm… yes.” Sparky said turning a rosy pink.

“Pa spank ya for it?”

“Uhm… no, the teacher and Mr. Walker did.”

“Ouch! Is that why your bottom’s still sore?”

“No, Gregory’s little brother Ricky pushed me down before we left and I hurt my backside.”

“I see… well, Sweet Pea, I missed ya.”

“Hoss, you remember Gregory, this is my friend Christopher Samuels. He’s the one who gave me my black eye.”

“Hello Christopher.”

“Hello Hoss, you’re as big as Gregory’s big brothers are!”

“Yes, I’m a big one.”  
He tickled his little brother some more and then put him back down so he could join his friends. Adam just smiled at them all. 

 

Ben addressed his two oldest sons, “Adam, Hoss, would you two mind keeping an eye on things? Little Joe and I need to have a discussion in his room. He told me Miss Jones gave him a note home.”

“Yes Sir.”

Sparky and his little companions heard this and looked at each other. Gregory and Christopher glanced at each other and thought, Nicky’s brother got a note home from school too? They wondered if he was going to get a spanking. Sparky wondered if Little Joe was going to get a spanking too and hoped not. He didn’t want his friends to hear his big brother get a spanking from Papa. For that matter he didn’t want them to hear him getting a spanking from Papa either. 

Adam and Hoss got down on the floor with the little boys and played with them. Brian and Danny joined them. 

Hop Sing peeking in smiled at All the boys from 5 to 21 all playing together. 

Linda, Barry, Joyce and Ron all looked on as well., smiling at the scene 

***

Ben knocked lightly at Little Joe’s door and entered the room. “Hi Little Joe.”

Little Joe stood up as his father entered the room. Ben sat on Joe’s desk chair and Little Joe handed him the note and stood before his father respectfully. 

Ben eyed his son and indicated he should sit on the bed across from Ben. “Little Joe, what is this note all about?”

Little Joe explained about what had happened in the school room. “I swear Pa. I checked the basket and it was locked tight when I got done filling it with the pop corn kernels. I don’t know how it came undone.”

Ben watched his son’s eyes and knew Little Joe was telling the truth. He knew when Little Joe was playing a prank and when he tried to hide the fact that he had masterminded it. He knew his child was being sincere and truthful. 

“Okay Little Joe. I believe you. Being that tomorrow is Christmas Eve and then Christmas day I won’t be giving you any punishment for this. I’ll sign the note and you bring it back to Miss Jones. I don’t want to see any more problems from you young man do you understand?”

“Yes Sir.” Little Joe said relieved that his father had believed him and that he was not going to be punished for this. 

Ben then pulled his young son onto his lap and cuddled him in his arms. Little Joe was still not too big to do this with his father, especially in private and Ben knew his son needed this time with him. Ever since Sparky had come into their lives his time with Little Joe had been stretched and especially after Sparky’s accident he hadn’t taken time with his son. 

Little Joe was relieved that Pa wasn’t mad at him and that he believed him. He hadn’t done anything wrong. He cuddled into his Pa’s arms and didn’t mind being held on his lap either. Father and son stayed that way for a very long time. 

***

Downstairs the imaginary war had grown noisier with seven little boys now playing instead of five. When Ben and Little Joe came downstairs Adam and Hoss looked up and were relieved to see that their little brother was not walking stiffly and seemed happy. Little Joe immediately joined in, evening out the sides and the noise level rose one more noisy boy louder. 

Ben just sat at his desk smiling to see them all playing together. Hoss, Brian, Little Joe and Gregory had joined one side and Adam, Danny, Christopher and Sparky had joined the other and the battle lines were drawn and fought with great strategy and lots of noise. 

Hop Sing had heard the noise level rise and smiled glad to hear happiness instead of the gloominess that pervaded the house a month or so ago. Even with the little one gone for a few days the house had seemed empty and lonely. When all was prepared he went out to the dining room and announced, “Supper ready all boys, friends and Mister Ben get washed up and come to supper!”

Sparky said, “We have to pick up all our toys before we can get washed up and get our supper.”

Adam, Hoss, Little Joe, Brian, Danny along with Christopher and Gregory all helped to pick up Sparky’s and Little Joe’s soldiers and other toys, such as blocks they had removed from the toy boxes for their battles and in a twinkling all was neat again. They all trooped out noisily to the washroom to clean up and everyone was seated with freshly scrubbed faces and hands. 

Hop Sing served everyone and then left the platters of food for them to serve themselves from if they wanted more. 

Ben helped Sparky with his food, cutting it up for him. The other boys seemed to be managing fine, with their parents help. Linda was tending to Ricky, cutting up his food and making sure he ate well. 

Sparky ate like he had for the past few weeks now, eating a few bites and then playing around with his food. His friends ate well. Ben was becoming concerned with his baby son’s eating habits. Ever since he had lived at the Indian camp his eating had become very poor. 

“Sparky, eat your food., don’t play with it.” Ben admonished. 

“Papa, I’m not hungry anymore.”

“Then I suppose you don’t want any dessert either.”

Sparky had known this to be the rule, but his Papa hadn’t been enforcing it since his return from the Paiute camp. He looked up a little surprised. “Papa, you always let me have dessert!”

“Nicholas, you know I told you all the rules that applied before you had that little accident apply now. I have been wrong in not enforcing this one with you, but it stops tonight. You eat enough of your supper to satisfy me that you have eaten enough, then you may have dessert. If not, then no dessert.”

Linda and Barry exchanged glances. Gregory looked at Sparky. This was one of the things Sparky had gotten in trouble for at his house and ended up with a spanking from his father and some corner time too. He had also been sent to bed early by his mother for having a temper tantrum about the whole thing. Gregory wondered if he was going to push his own Papa and hoped he didn’t. He didn’t want to see Sparky get a spanking from his father. 

Christopher looked at his little friend to see how he was going to react to what his father had just said. Adam, Hoss and Little Joe were secretly happy that Pa had begun to enforce this rule with their brother as this was one of the few things he had not begun to enforce again after his accident.

Sparky saw his friends looking at him and knew what Gregory was thinking and thought about the spanking he had received along with the corner time and the early bed time at the Walker’s home. He glanced at his father and saw that Papa meant what he said.

“Okay Papa, I’ll eat more of my supper.”

“Very good Sparky.”

Sparky forced more of the meal down. He didn’t want to be embarrassed in front of his friends and their parents. Once he had eaten most of what had been in his plate he felt very full and his stomach began to hurt. Then it began to churn and Sparky felt very sick. “Papa!”  
That was all he got out before he jumped up and ran toward the door. Before he reached the door he promptly lost his supper all over himself and the floor. 

Adam jumped up and rushed into the kitchen for a basin, towels and a bucket of water. 

Ben jumped up and held his son while he continued to be sick all over the floor for which there was no help now. 

Hoss went upstairs for a change of clothing for the little boy. 

Little Joe, Gregory and Christopher all watched the scene in horror. 

Ricky grinned and Linda swatted him. Linda, Barry, Joyce and Ron all made to get up to come to Ben’s aid, but he waived them back. Brian and Danny looked at the scene with disgust. 

When Sparky was finished being sick Ben picked him up and brought him into the wash house. Adam cleaned up the mess on the floor quickly wiping and mopping and Hoss brought the clean clothes into the wash house to Pa.

Chapter 29

Sparky was crying now totally embarrassed and Ben had stripped him of his soiled clothing and had popped him into a tub of hot water that Hop Sing had drawn from the stove. Once Ben had bathed the child and Sparky dressed himself Ben held him in his lap and soothed him. “I’m sorry baby. I didn’t know if I forced you to eat all that food that you would be sick.”

“Papa, I’m sorry for getting sick all over the floor and making a mess and all. My friends and their folks are going to think I’m a little baby getting sick all over the place.”

“Sparky, no one is going to think you are a baby. I didn’t realize you weren’t able to eat that much. I had forgotten that when you first came to us you didn’t eat that much either and that it took time to gradually get you to eat more. You do need to eat more than you have been child, but we will go about it more slowly okay?”

“Yes Papa.” Sparky’s eyes filled with tears again and Ben held him tight against his chest soothing him.

Once Adam and Hoss returned to the table they looked at the worried faces of the adults, Brian and Danny looking disgusted and Sparky’s two little friends and Little Joe, looking very concerned. 

“He’s going to be all right. He just ate a little bit more than he was accustomed to and got sick. He’s really embarrassed and feeling pretty bad.”

“Aw, that’s nothing to be ashamed of Adam, I once ate too many apples and threw up all over my bed.” Gregory said.

Linda and Barry along with Gregory’s brothers looked shocked at what Gregory had just said. “Gregory!” Linda sent the little boy a speaking look.

 

Christopher continued, “Yeah, I once ate too many of Mama’s cookies and not only did I throw up all over my bed, but it came out my other end too.” 

Now it was Joyce and Ron Samuel’s turn to look shocked. Ron sent his son a speaking look as well and the boy blushed in embarrassment. 

Adam and Hoss laughed then and said, I’m sure it has happened to all of us one time or another. Let’s change the topic of conversation though. I don’t think your folks are approving of this conversation and Pa wouldn’t approve of us talking about such things at the supper table.”

All looked relieved that this topic was changed. 

Sparky and Ben came back to the table in a while and Sparky was feeling a whole lot better. He was afraid to look at his friends, but when he saw them looking at him with sympathy and not making fun of him he relaxed. 

Hop Sing then brought out chocolate pudding for dessert and was certain to give Sparky some, but a smaller portion than was given to the others. Sparky felt it was just enough. 

Ben was mentally kicking himself. If he had been paying attention he would have recognized that even when he had allowed Sparky dessert after only eating a meager portion of his supper, he had only eaten a few bites of his dessert as well. Ben would have to be more mindful and observant of his child. 

The children played well together for the rest of the evening and when Ben said, “Boys, It’s time you were all in bed.” Was met with compliance. Ben did see a flicker of something in Sparky’s good eye, but then it passed as quickly as it came and he walked up the stairs with his friends to get ready for bed. 

Linda and Joyce went up with Ben to assist with putting their boys to bed. 

Sparky didn’t want anyone but Ben to help him. Once all three boys were washed up, changed into their nightshirts and prayers heard Ben, along with Linda and Joyce tucked them all into Sparky’s bed. The fathers had come up and told their boys good-night. Once all the adults had left the room Ben told them a seafaring story, the one about his friend Stumpy which was one of Sparky’s favorites. Once they had all drifted off to sleep Ben lowered the wick on the lamp and went downstairs. 

***

Adam was reading a book and Hoss and Little Joe were playing checkers, Brian and Danny were giving them pointers as they played. The other adults were talking among themselves. 

Adam looked up at Ben. “All settled down and asleep?”

“Yes. You know, I’m really glad that all of you were spaced almost 6 years apart. I don’t know if I could have handled all of you a year apart by myself.”

Ben’s boys all smiled. “You would have handled us all very well Pa. I’m afraid you would have had a very strong right arm and might have worn out your shoulder before we were all grown though.” Adam said and Hoss and Little Joe along with Ben laughed. 

“I probably would have been spending more time with you boys over my knee or in the barn than in getting any work done around here.”

Everyone laughed at that. 

***

Linda had gone up and put Ricky to bed in the room she and Barry would be sharing and when she returned the ladies worked on knitting and Ben, Ron and Barry smoked and drank brandy and were engrossed in conversation. 

When it was time for Little Joe to go up to bed he went without any protest. Linda sent Danny up as well. 

The adults and older children went to bed and When Ben went up he checked in on Sparky and his little friends. They were all still sound asleep. Sparky had his hand in his mouth though and Ben removed it and kissed his child. Then he brushed the hair back from each of the other little boy’s forehead and gave them each a kiss as well.   
By then his older sons were in bed and he checked each of them too and went to his room. 

The next morning found three little boys up and chattering. Gregory picked up the pitcher of warm water to pour into the basin.  
“Gregory! You’re not supposed to do that! Only Papa or Adam, Hoss, Hop Sing or little Joe can do that!”

“Sparky, I’m big enough to pour my own warm water at home, I can do it here also.”

Sparky worried. He knew he wasn’t big enough or strong enough to do this task without help. He wasn’t sure if it was okay for his friend to do it. When Gregory finished pouring the water without mishap Sparky relaxed. The three little boys then washed their faces and hands and dressed for the day. They all started to run down the stairs, but Sparky called out, “Remember, we’re not supposed to run down the stairs!”

Christopher looked at Sparky. “Have you ever slid down the banister?”

“Huh?”

“Yeah, let me show you.” Christopher climbed onto the banister and slid all the way down to the landing. Then he hopped off. “See?”

“That looks like fun! Papa didn’t say we couldn’t do that!”

Gregory, then Sparky slid down and then all three boys climbed back up the stairs to try it again. 

Adam, Hoss, Little Joe, along with Brian and Danny had already gone outside to take care of the morning chores and Hop Sing was busy in the kitchen. Ben had just come out and was heading to the boy’s room to help them get washed up when he heard giggles and voices on the stairs. Adam had just come in from outside and seeing Gregory sliding down the banister grinned to himself. The boys were about to find out the hard way that sliding down the banister was not allowed at the Cartwright house. He didn’t see Pa, or any of the other adults around so he surmised this was why the little boys were engaged in this activity. 

When Gregory came to a stop Adam plucked the large boy from the banister and landed a sharp swat to his backside.

Gregory gave a surprised, “Ow!” as he felt Adam’s hard hand connect with his bottom leaving a stinging spot on his backside. 

Then Adam did the same to Christopher as he too ended up at the bottom of the stairs on the banister. Christopher too gave out a surprised “Ow!” When Adam’s hard hand also connected with his bottom leaving a stinging spot. He waited for his little brother to arrive. 

 

Sparky realizing what was happening tried to stop his descent so he wouldn’t get swatted. He caught a foot in one of the uprights and tipped falling off and landing flat on his back on the dining room floor. 

Adam ran to him and Ben also took the steps in a hurry realizing what had been going on with the boys and now seeing his baby son lying on the floor. Sparky was not breathing. Adam was scared. He held the other two boys back. The other adults along with Ricky all came rushing down the stairs hearing the commotion. Linda grabbed Ricky holding him back as she saw the poor little boy lying on the floor. Ron and Barry eyed their young sons. Ben rushed up and seeing the boy was not breathing turned him on his side and rubbed his back for a moment. Sparky’s eyes were open and scared. Once he took a breath Ben was relieved and Sparky then began to cry. Ben picked him up. Thank God he had only been winded. 

Gregory and Christopher both rubbed their stinging bottoms from the whack Adam had administered. Once Sparky was calm again and was no longer crying Ben checked him over for bruises. Sparky’s foot hurt a little, but not enough that he couldn’t walk. 

As soon as Ben stood Sparky on his feet Adam went up behind him and administered a hard swat to the seat of his pants. “Ow!” Sparky looked behind him at Adam. 

Ben quirked an eyebrow at Adam and he indicated the other two boys who were still standing there rubbing their stinging behinds and Ben understood. It wasn’t fair that Sparky didn’t get a swat from Adam if the other two boys did for sliding down the banister. 

Adam came around in front of the three little boys, now all rubbing stinging bottoms. He eyed them all sternly crossing his arms across his chest in imitation of Pa. “If I ever catch any of you, or all three of you doing that again and Pa isn’t around, I will spank you. Is that understood?”

“Yes Adam.” Sparky replied. The other two boys echoed Sparky. 

Ben then eyed all three boys. “The same goes for me. I don’t want you boys sliding down the banister. As you have seen it can be dangerous and you can fall off.” 

Barry and Ron also flanked Ben and eyeing their sons echoed Ben’s words.   
All three boys squirmed, each of them looking at their father.

“We’re sorry Mister Cartwright, we won’t do it again.” Gregory apologized.

The other two boys apologized as well.

“Now boys, this is Christmas Eve. We want you to be on your best behavior or Santa won’t come tonight and bring all of you presents.

“We’ll be very good Sir!” Christopher and Gregory chorused. We don’t want Santa to not bring us anything for Christmas. 

Ben eyed his youngest son. “What about you Sparky?”

“I guess I want Santa to bring me presents.”

The other two boys looked at their little friend incredulously. “Sparky, you have to be good for Santa. He brings the greatest presents to you for Christmas!”

“Really?”

“Yeah!”

Sparky looked doubtful. He still struggled with the concept of Santa. 

Ben wished he could ignite the spirit of Christmas in his little boy. He wanted to see the wonderment and joy of this season reflected in him. He believed he was failing miserably at this though. Perhaps his friends could help. Maybe he’ll pick up on their enthusiasm and come to be excited about the Christmas season. 

Chapter 30

Well, everyone, let’s get to the table and eat our breakfast. We still have the task of finding the perfect Christmas tree today.”

Everyone ate their breakfast. Ben was careful to not push Sparky to eat too much. He did make him eat a few bites more by threatening to put him in his lap and feeding him in front of everyone. Once Ben was satisfied the little mite had eaten enough but not so much as he would be sick they were all dismissed to get dressed warmly for their Christmas tree hunt. 

When they went out to the barn Sparky ran into the barn and clambered up onto Blazes stall wall. 

Adam plucked him up off the wall and said, “Sparky, I think you like me to catch you up here!”

Sparky grinned at his big brother. 

Adam dutifully applied a swat to Sparky’s bottom and set him down on the ground. 

Sparky rubbed the spot where Adam had swatted him. He knew the swat would always sting, but he didn’t mind. It had become a sort of ritual between the two brothers. 

The other two boy’s eyes widened and rounded at Sparky’s blatant disregard of the rule and wondered at him not being too upset by the swat he had just received. 

Adam and Hoss after finishing up the barn chores harnessed up the draft horses and the sleigh. Hoss picked up each of the three little boys and placed them in. Then Little Joe, Brian, Danny and Hoss climbed in. Ben drove the sledge and the other adults along with Ricky rode with him. The sledge was where they would put the tree to haul it home once they chose it and cut it down. 

Sparky climbed up from the back of the sleigh into the seat next to Adam. “Adam, may I drive the team?”

Adam smiled at the little boy next to him. “Little one, what are you doing up here. Shouldn’t you be in the back of the sleigh with your friends?”

“I want to drive the horses Adam.”

“You’re too young to drive the horses Sparky.”

Sparky pouted. Adam sighed. He wondered why today of all days the little tyke was choosing to test the limits. No one wanted to spank any child on Christmas Eve, but if Sparky pushed too hard… there would be no help for it. Adam also was not going to give into the child just because he pouted, cried, whined or wheedled either.   
“Sparky, when you’re older we’ll teach you how to drive the team, but not today.”

“Adam, I want to now!” The little boy insisted moving into tantrum mode. 

‘Oh man Sparky, not today! Please!’

“Look Sweet Pea, you be good today okay? No tantrums. You don’t want to be embarrassed in front of your friends do you? We want to have fun today. It’s no fun to be punished and it’s no fun for Pa or me to punish you for misbehaving either.”

“What’s so special about today anyhow!?” Sparky pouted. 

“Little one, it’s Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve is a very special day.”

“Why?!”

Adam sighed. He didn’t know how to get through to his brother that Christmas Eve was the most magical day of the year. It was also the eve of the birth of the Christ child. Maybe when Sparky heard the Christmas story he would understand better. Then a thought occurred to Adam.  
“Sparky, if I tell you a story will you be good until I’m finished?”

“What kind of a story Adam?”

“A very special one.”

Sparky seemed interested. The black look left his face and Adam reached out and pulled the little boy closer to him and wrapped the blanket around the two of them. 

“Well?”

“Okay.” Adam smiled and began, “well Sparky a very long time ago in a far way land, it was all the way on the other side of the world in fact there was a woman named Mary and her husband Joseph.”

“Like Little Joe?”

“Well, the man was older than Little Joe, but he had the same name.”

“Was he older than Pa?”

“No, just a little older than me I guess. Anyway, Mary and Joseph were married.”

“Like Mr. and Mrs. Walker?”

“Yes, just like that. Mary and Joseph were traveling to a place called Bethlehem.”

“Where was that Adam?”

“It is a place very far away.”

“Why were they going there?”

“The ruler of their land told all the people they had to return to the city where they were born to be counted.”

“Why?”  
Because the king wanted to have the people pay money to him to run his kingdom. It was called a tax. Well, Mary and Joseph traveled for a very long time on a donkey.”

“Adam?”

“Yes?”

“What is a donkey?”

“Well, you know what a mule is?”

“Yes.”

“Well, a donkey is a small mule, kind of like a pony is instead of a horse.”

“Oh.”

“Well, Mary and Joseph needed to find a place to stay when they got to the city. There were so many people in the city there were no rooms available for them to rent. Mary was going to have a baby.”

“What do you mean Adam?”

‘Uh oh, he doesn’t know about babies? Hmm… maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all.’

“Uhm… I mean that Mary was ready to give birth to an infant. Before you were born your mother carried you inside her body until it was time for you to come out a greet the world.”

Sparky looked a bit confused. 

“How did I get inside her body and when did I know it was time to come out? How did I get out Adam?”

“Uhm… that’s not really important to know right now Sparky, let’s just say that Mary knew it was almost time. She and her husband knew that it was almost time for the child to be born.”

“Adam, how did they know?”

“Well, Sparky it takes about nine months for a human baby to be ready to be born.”

“How do you know that Adam?”

“Well, that was about how long it took for Little Joe’s mama to have Little Joe.”

“Oh.”

Adam continued with the story. “They needed a place to stay so the baby could be born. They tried to get rooms at several places, but there were none. They finally came across an inn keeper who let them stay in his stable.”

“Like our barn where the horses and cows and animals stay at night?”

“Pretty much like that. Instead of troughs to feed their animals though they had mangers. They were kind of like troughs. They filled a manger with straw and when Mary’s baby was born they put him in the manger. They named him Jesus.”

“You mean like the Jesus the reverend talks about in church?”

“The very one.”

“This was a story of how Jesus was born Adam?”

“Yes. Tomorrow is Jesus’ birthday. That is why we give gifts to each other to celebrate his birth.”

Ben could see Sparky getting a black look on his face and prayed the little tyke wasn’t going to erupt into a tantrum. Then he saw Adam talking to the boy and Sparky talking as well. He wondered what they were talking about. He saw Adam become real uncomfortable at one point in the conversation, then go on. The boy looked interested and Ben’s curiosity was peaked. 

When they got to the stand of trees where they could pick out the tree they wanted Adam pulled up the sleigh. He turned and Hollered at Ben, “Is this a good place Pa?”

“Yes Adam, this will be fine!”

Adam hopped down from the sleigh and plucked Sparky from the seat and put him down on the ground. Hoss had climbed down and helped the others down from the sleigh. 

As they all trooped into the woods with Little Joe leading the other children to help pick out the tree Ben caught up with his oldest son.   
“Well Adam, looks like you and Sparky were having quite a conversation on the way out.”

“Uhm… well… Pa, I think you might want to murder me.”

Ben was curious now. “Why is that Adam?”

“Well… Sparky was trying to have a tantrum about not being allowed to drive the horses   
and so I decided to distract him by telling him a story.”

“And…?”

“And… well… I told him the story about Mary, Joseph and the Christ child.”

“So, why would I murder you over that young man?”

“Well… Pa…” Adam turned a wonderful shade of red. “I… Uh… told him about Mary being with child…”

“Ben was amused now. He loved to see his eldest child squirm like this.   
“And just what did you tell him about that young man?” Ben said with mock sternness.

“Well, I tried to explain about him having been inside his mother and he began to ask questions… I… uh… I told him that his questions didn’t matter at the time I was telling the story and just went on. I think Pa he might be asking those questions again when you read the story from the Bible tonight.”

“And just what might those questions be?”

“Uhm… how did I get inside my mother’s body and how did I know when it was time to come out… things like that.”

“Hmm… okay son. At least you’ve warned me.” Ben slapped his son on the shoulder. “Don’t worry about it Adam, it was bound to happen sooner or later and all children ask these questions. Maybe you’d like to stick around and see how I answer them?”

“Uh… I guess so.”

Ben smiled. “Go on and help those boys get a tree picked out or we may never get home to get it up and decorated before tonight.”

“Yes Sir.” 

Ben gave Adam a swat and Adam glanced back. Ben just smiled. 

Chapter 31

The families trooped all over looking at trees. After a couple of snow ball fights, dumping each other into the snow, washing faces in the snow and the making of snow angels they found the perfect tree. Adam and Ben along with Hoss’s help chopped it down and they got it onto the sledge, along with the help of Barry, Ron and Brian. 

On the way home Sparky looked up at Adam. 

“Adam, may I ride up with you?”

“Sure Sparky.”

Adam lifted the little mite up and snuggled up with him in the blanket he wrapped around them to keep warm. The small boy fell asleep and Adam smiled down at him. He sure was glad that he hadn’t died out there on the trail that wintry day and that he had been returned to them. Adam couldn’t imagine life without the little tyke around to provide a little spark in their lives. He didn’t really realize until Sparky came into their lives just how much a child could provide life in a home. He would have to think more seriously about getting married and settling down so that there could always be little ones in the home for Pa, him and his brothers to love, protect and care for to keep them young and challenge their abilities. 

When they arrived home Adam woke his little brother. “Sparky, do you want me to bring you up to your room so you can continue your nap?”

“No Adam, I’m all right. I’m not a baby you know.”

Adam just smiled and tousled the boy’s hair. 

Adam, Hoss, Ben, along with Barry, Ron and Brian, wrestled the tree into the house. With the input of Joyce and Linda, they got it upright after about an hour of hammering and trimming branches. It was a sight to behold once it was ready for decorating. 

Adam heard sleigh bells out in the yard and glanced out to see The Devlin family arriving. In a little while Roy Coffee and Paul Martin also arrived. The Pruitt’s, Lem, from the livery, Sam, from the barbershop a John, from the blacksmith shop also came. 

Hop Sing greeted all their guests and before long supper was ready. Everyone was introduced all around and all the children were on their best manners throughout dinner.   
Ben had pulled Paul aside to talk to him about Sparky’s eating problems and he advised Ben to continue doing just what he was, trying to increase the child’s food intake a little more at a time. He should also be giving the child food in between times too like a half a sandwich and a glass of milk. Ben thought that would be a good idea too. 

Paul picked up Sparky when he saw him and put him in his lap. “Well, young man, I haven’t seen you since your return with the Indians Thanksgiving Day. How are you doing?”

“Fine Doc Martin.”

Paul examined the fading bruises around the child’s eye.”

“Does your eye hurt Sparky?”

“Not anymore.”

“Were you fighting again?”

“Yes Sir, but I don’t think I’ll fight any more.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t want to be spanked with a paddle.”

Paul looked up at Ben and he shook his head slightly in the negative.

“Who spanked you with a paddle Sparky?”

“Miss Travis at the Silver Eagle mine school.”

“Oh, I see…”

“Doc Martin, may I ask you a question?”

“Yes Sparky you may.”

“How did I get inside my mother’s body? Wouldn’t that hurt her?”

Paul’s mouth dropped open in surprise. Ben turned and coughed trying not to laugh out loud. Adam turned every shade of red possible and the other adults also tried to hide their chuckles. 

“Who told you that you were inside your mother’s body?”

“Adam did. He said it took Little Joe nine months to come out of his Mama’s body. How come it took so long? How did Little Joe get in there and how did he know when it was time to come out? How did he get out of his mama’s body when it was time to come out? I thought with you being a doctor and all you could tell me.”

Ben had left the room quickly with Adam not far behind. The rest of the guests hearing the little boy’s questions looked the other way and pretended not to hear. The other two little boys crept closer, as well as Little Joe, Danny Walker, Seth Pruitt and Mitch Devlin, wanting to hear what the doctor would tell Sparky about this   
fascinating topic. 

Paul was flabbergasted at first. Then when he saw that both Ben and Adam had deserted him thought to himself,   
‘cowards!

Paul said to the little boy seriously, “Sparky when a man and a woman love each other and get married they have the ability to create children. The man and woman spend time together alone and when they do this sometimes a child is created. The child grows inside the woman until it is time for the child to be born. Adam was correct this takes about nine months. Once it is time the doctor comes and helps the child be born.”

“How does the child get inside the mother?”

Paul was hoping the child wouldn’t be persistent about this part, but decided to answer the question as simply as possible without revealing too much intimacy. “Sparky, the man’s love is so great for the woman that it fills her inside and that is how the child is created.”

“Oh. Does the baby being inside her hurt?” 

“No. When you are older and understand more about these things if you have more questions you and I can talk again okay?”

“Yes Doc Martin.”

The little boys were all satisfied with the doctor’s explanation and Paul smiled knowing he had dodged the bullet for now. When it was appropriate the boy would need to know more, but not until he turned about thirteen years old, which thank goodness would be a while yet. 

Ben and Adam standing just outside the door breathed a sigh of relief knowing they wouldn’t have to be answering those questions in more detail for a long while yet and were very thankful that Paul had been there and had been the one asked those questions this night. 

Ben brought out the decorations and Hop Sing brought out bowls of popcorn and cranberries and set the children to stringing them. 

Sparky strung popcorn and cranberries for a while. When he wandered off to see what the others were doing he put out a sticky hand to touch a carved and painted ornament that Hoss was about to place on one of the upper branches of the tree. He stopped him, “Sparky, don’t touch that with your sticky hands. Get Hop Sing to help you wash up and come back. You can help us then.”

Sparky went into the kitchen. Hop Sing seeing the little boy asked, “What boy want?”  
“Hoss said I need to wash my hands if I want to help put things on the tree.”

Hop Sing helped the little boy to wash his hands and sent him back out to the great room. 

“Hoss, my hands aren’t sticky anymore see?” Sparky held out his hands to Hoss for inspection.

“Very good Sparky.”

Hoss gave the child a box of carved ornaments. You can give these to me and I’ll put them on the tree.”

Sparky carefully handed each ornament to Hoss while he placed them on the tree. 

“My mama made these before I was born when Adam and Pa lived with her in Missouri before they came west.”

“She did?”

“Uh huh.”

“They’re pretty Hoss.”

“Yes they are.”

When they had put the box full of ornaments that Hoss had given him on the tree, He pointed out another ornament and said, Adam’s mother made that one for him before he was born.”

“It’s really pretty too Hoss.”

Hoss pointed out several more ornaments. “Little Joe’s mama made all these. In fact, most of the other ornaments here were either made by Little Joe’s mama or Pa had them from when he was a boy.”

Sparky’s large grey eyes grew sad and there was a tear in one of them. 

Ben glanced over to see the littlest Cartwright’s sadness and it broke his heart.

“Sparky, what’s the matter baby?”

“Papa, everyone’s Mama made pretty things to put on the tree. My Mama didn’t make anything pretty for me to put on the tree.”

“Oh baby, you’re wrong.” Ben reached over and picked up a tissue wrapped package. He had found it in the box of things that were unearthed from Natalie Gibson’s grave near the Green Backs Mine. He opened it carefully to reveal a wooden disc hand painted with lace edging it and carefully printed in the center was “Nicky” 1849”

Sparky touched it gently. “Papa, it’s pretty. What are those letters?”

“Can you tell me what each letter is?”

Sparky concentrated for a moment, then correctly identified each letter. “Sparky, those letters spell Nicky.”

“That’s the name you call me when you want me to pay attention to you or when I’m in school.”

“Yes.” Ben tousled the child’s hair. “Would you like to put this on the tree?”

“Yes Papa.”

Ben helped Sparky to put his ornament on the tree. 

“Papa, why do we put up a tree and put pretty things on it?”

“To make Christmas Day extra special. Because you are now the littlest Cartwright you also get a special task to perform for us.”

“What’s that Papa?”

“You get to put this star at the very top of the tree.”

“Papa, how can I get all the way up there?”

“I’m going to lift you up there. Adam and Hoss will help you to put it up there straight okay?”

“Yes Papa!” Sparky said showing some excitement for the first time.

Ben lifted his little boy up until he could reach the very top of the tree and Adam and   
Hoss helped him to settle the star in place. Little Joe didn’t mind giving over this privilege to Sparky when he saw the little boy’s delight after seeing some of the sadness in his little eyes. 

Chapter 32

Once the tree was decorated, everyone had had apple cider, donuts and Sparky had had the honor of being lifted by Ben to place the star at the top of the tree, it was time to light the candles. 

Ben, Adam, Hoss, Paul Martin and Roy Coffee all set to lighting the candles. The children all watched in amazement as the tree blazed with light.

Sparky’s little eyes lit up with delight. “Hoss?”

“Yes Sparky?”

“Are you allowed to light the matches now to light the tree?”

“Yes I am Little one. Remember you are not to touch matches or fire, right?”

“Yes Hoss.” A shadow crossed the little boy’s face. “Aunt Millicent held my hand over one of the candles once until it hurt. Fire burns Hoss.” The little boy said fearfully. 

Hoss felt very angry and although he knew it wasn’t Christian was glad that the old witch was dead. Hurting a child as sweet as Sparky like that. Hoss’s attention was brought back to his baby brother.

“Hoss, if I do play with the fire I’ll get spanked and my bottom will burn like fire.”

“Yes little one. So, no playing with fire right?”

“Yes Hoss.”

Hoss leaned down and picked up his little brother and hugged him being careful to not squeeze him too hard.

Ben had noticed the exchange between his little son and his biggest son. He had seen the sadness cross the child’s face and the anger hidden quickly by his biggest son and wondered what had taken place. 

Adam brought out his guitar and they all sang Christmas carols. When they were through Ben had everyone gather around and between him and Adam they read the Christmas story from the Bible. Sparky did not interrupt this time as he had already asked Adam the questions he had and when they were finished everyone including their guests settled down for the night. 

Ben blew out each candle making quite sure that they were all out and he helped the children along with Adam and Hoss to hang the stockings on the mantle of the fireplace. Then Ben and Adam got all the little boys upstairs and into bed. Little Joe, Mitch and Seth all slept in Little Joes bed, Brian and Danny Walker shared Hoss’s room and Adam and Pete Devlin shared as well. Everyone else was distributed among the guestrooms both upstairs and downstairs. 

Christopher and Gregory woke and saw that the light was just dawning. Sparky was still sound asleep. They grinned at each other and together attacked  
their little friend tickling him to waken him. Sparky came up out of his sleep fighting and startled his little friends. They had not expected this reaction  
from Sparky. He had just missed scratching Gregory and hitting Christopher as well. Then as he realized he was awake and saw his friends looking at him  
a little scared began to cry. Gregory and Christopher looked at each other. They didn’t know what to do. Gregory had never seen Sparky act like that before,  
but then again, he hadn’t ever woken his friend in such an unexpected way before either.

Ben hearing a commotion in the boy’s room and Sparky’s crying got up, dressed in his robe and slippers and headed for the child’s room.  
“What is going on in here?” Ben asked softly, but sternly.

“We only tried to wake Sparky by tickling him and he began to kick, punch and scratch at us. He didn’t get us, but we were scared Sir. Then Sparky began to cry  
and now he won’t stop.”

Ben eyed the two little boys and said sternly, “You shouldn’t wake someone unexpectedly that way boys. Sparky isn’t used to being awakened that way and it  
probably scared him too.”

“We’re sorry Mr. Cartwright.” Christopher said and Gregory added, “Me too.”

“You’re forgiven boys. I’ll take care of this. You two just stand out of the way.”

Ben bent down and picked up his crying child an Sparky hid his face in his father’s chest.  
“I’m going to take Sparky to my room. I want you boys to get back in bed and not come downstairs until you are called, understand?”

“Yes Sir.” They chorused.

“Mr. Cartwright? Is Sparky going to be all right?” Gregory asked worriedly.

“He’ll be just fine boys; don’t you worry now. You two just go back to bed now.”

“Yes Sir.”

Ben carried Sparky back to his room and sat down on his bed and cuddled his little boy in his arms. The child was ice cold and Ben wrapped the quilt from his bed around the both of them holding Sparky close to his chest until he stopped crying and trembling. Ben stroked the little boy’s hair and when he felt  
him relax in his arms shifted him to a more comfortable position. “Are you feeling better now baby?”

“Papa, I’m sorry for acting so naughty.”

“No Sparky, you didn’t act naughty, you were startled from your sleep and were scared.”

“Yes Papa, I was scared. I didn’t like being woke up that way.”

“I can see that. Your friends didn’t know that baby. They probably wake their own brothers or parents like that and didn’t know you’d be scared.”

“Papa, now they’re going to think I’m a real baby. Especially crying like that in front of them.”

“Nicky, they aren’t going to think you’re a baby. I already talked to them and scolded them for doing that to you.”

“You did?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Papa, why did they do that?”

“Sweet Pea, it’s Christmas morning and they’re probably excited to see what Santa has brought them for Christmas. They want to see what he has left for them  
in their stockings as well.”

“Papa, I don’t understand.”

“Nicky, did you ever spend a Christmas with your aunt Millicent. Do you remember anything about it?”

The little boy trembled. “Yes.” He said in a small voice.

“What do you remember about it Sparky?”

“I told Hoss, she held my hand over a candle until I felt the burning heat of the candle and was told to never touch the tree or go near it when the candles  
were lit because it could cause a fire.”

Ben was angry, now he knew what that flash of anger he had seen on Hoss’s face last night when they lit the tree was all about.  
“What else do you remember?”

The child trembled again. “She told me I had been a very bad boy and that was why I had a stocking full of black dirty coal and deserved no presents. She  
showed me a lot of pretty wrapped presents, but then made me sit there while she opened them all and showed me each toy that was in each package. She  
wouldn’t let me play with any of them. She handed them to me one by one and with a hard swat to my bottom for each one, made me put them into the fire in the fireplace one by one. They all burned up.” Sparky then turned his face into Ben’s shoulder and cried hard, hot tears.

Ben was furious. How could that woman do that to such a small child? Sparky couldn’t have been but two years old! Ben was glad that he had now bought enough  
things for his baby son to fill a storeroom. This child was going to have a wonderful Christmas and he was going to be able to play with and keep every  
toy and present he got today. He wasn’t even going to make him share any of them unless Sparky offered them to the other children himself. Today Sparky  
was going to be indulged an spoiled. Tomorrow they could go back to rules and whatever else, but his child would not be punished for anything today no  
matter what. He was going to see to it that this child had a wonderful Christmas.  
” Sparky, that was very mean and very cruel. You’re Aunt Millicent is gone now and she won’t ever be able to do anything so hurtful to you ever again.”

When his child stopped crying he held him tight again and then said, “Sparky, you stay in my bed for a little while Papa needs to get dressed and then do a few chores. Okay? I’ll be back for you real soon.”

“Okay Papa.” Sparky said with a sad little face.

Ben was certainly glad he had placed all the gifts under the tree the night before. He slipped downstairs and found his other young son Joseph crawling  
around under the tree seeking out his presents. Ben smiled for a moment and then surprised his son by lifting him up in his arms and administering a stinging  
swat to his bare bottom which was peeking out from under his night shirt.  
“Ow!” Little Joe saw he had been caught by his father.

“Little Joe, that was a readymade target I couldn’t resist.” Ben said with a smile. 

Little Joe knew by his father’s laughing eyes that he wasn’t upset  
with his twelve-year-old son.  
“Little Joe, I want this Christmas to be a very special one for Sparky. Would you mind waiting until I call you down for your presents?”

“No Pa.”

“I want to bring Sparky down here first to see everything before it gets attacked. I want him to experience a very nice Christmas. He hasn’t ever had one  
Before and It’s very important to me okay? “

“Yes Pa. By the way, you swat hard.”

Ben grinned. “Well don’t present your bare bottom to me next time.”

Little Joe grinned. “Yes Pa.”

Little Joe went upstairs then and Ben stopped in both Adam and Hoss’s rooms to tell them what he wanted and that it would be Sparky’s special day, no punishments  
Today for Sparky. He glanced at Adam, “You still may swat him however if he climbs up on the stall wall. I think he likes that little ritual between you and feels  
secure with that, but that’s the only time understand?”

“Sure Pa. Poor little tyke having to burn up all his Christmas toys. Pa, I know it isn’t polite or even Christian, but I can’t say I’m not sorry the woman  
is dead.”

“I understand Adam.”

Chapter 33

Ben went back to his room to find his little boy snuggled up in his covers. He picked him up and said, “Sparky come with me. I want you to see what Santa  
has done while you were asleep.”

“Okay Papa.”

Ben took the child still clad in only his nightshirt downstairs. When they came to the landing Ben held him so he could see the tree, the stockings overflowing  
with goodies hanging from the mantle and the huge pile of Christmas presents surrounding the tree.

Sparky’s eyes grew wide and round. His little mouth formed a big “O”. “Papa!” Sparky breathed. He turned and looked at Ben. “Santa Clause did all this?  
Where did it all come from?”

“I told you that Santa Claus keeps track of all the good little boys and girls and then brings them presents as a reward for their good behavior. He brings them to each child every Christmas Eve. Sparky. Papa, Hop Sing, your brothers and our friends helped too, but every toy you receive today came from Santa Claus.”

Sparky looked up in trepidation. “Papa?” Sparky asked in a very small voice

“Yes Sweet Pea?”

“Will I be able to keep all my toys? Will I have to burn them all up in the fireplace?”

Ben’s heart went out to the child and nearly broke at the sad question.  
“Child, you may keep each and every toy you receive. You do not have to burn up any of them, ever.” He turned the little boy toward him and looked him in the  
eye as he held him in his arms, “Nicholas, Santa, he is sometimes called Saint Nicholas, just like your name. I promise he will come for Christmas every  
year of your life and that you will never be bad enough to deserve a stocking full of dirty black coal or to have to burn up your own presents or to receive  
a switching or spanking ever on Christmas day. Not as long as I am your Papa and you have your brothers here with you. Do you understand?”

“Yes Papa. I can’t ever be so bad that I won’t deserve Christmas presents anymore?”

“No Nicky my boy, never. You know Papa doesn’t break his promises don’t you?”

“Yes Papa.”

“Then remember this one okay?”

“Yes Papa, No spankings on Christmas ever?”

“That’s right. That doesn’t mean however that you might not get a swat though.”

“Oh.”

Ben had to laugh at the look on his child’s face. Sparky knew a swat could hurt as much as a full spanking.

“You be on your best behavior and enjoy the day and we won’t have to worry about spankings or swats right?”

“Yes Papa.”

“Well, little boy, I think it’s time for the littlest Cartwright to get back to his friends, get dressed and begin our Christmas. We have to do our chores  
Though before we can empty our stockings and open presents. We also have to eat our breakfast first too. If not, I’m afraid you will eat too much goodies  
and not want to eat breakfast.”

“Okay Papa.”

Ben brought Sparky to his room and found his friends were now sleeping. Ben poured the warm water into the basin and helped Sparky wash and dress. Then he grinned at his little son.

“You may wake your friends like they did you earlier, you may tickle them awake.”

Ben set Sparky on the bed and he went to work tickling his friends and they woke laughing, tumbling out of bed and getting dressed. Ben left the children to see  
to his guests and the chores that needed to be taken care of.

Adam, Hoss, Little Joe along with Mitch and Pete Devlin and Seth Pruitt helped with the barn and yard chores and all went quickly. When Ben came in Hop  
Sing had set a table for the younger boys, Little Joe, Mitch, Seth, Danny, Gregory, Christopher and Sparky. Linda had Ricky by her side and all the other adults sat around the large dining table that was decorated festively for the holiday and a great breakfast feast. 

Sparky was too excited to eat. Ben seeing this picked up his little boy and sat him in his lap at the table, amid his protests and fed him some breakfast. Ben didn’t want him to  
go all morning without something in his stomach. Then Sparky asked. “Papa, may I go out to the barn and bring Blaze a Christmas carrot?”

“Yes you may. Get Adam to go out to the barn and help you”

“Okay Papa.” Sparky slipped down from Ben’s lap and ran over to Adam, jumping up into his lap and looking him straight in the eye. 

“Adam, please help me to give Blaze a Christmas carrot?”

Adam smiled at his irresistible little brother. “Of course little one.” He helped Sparky to put on his coat and then Sparky ran down into the barn. Adam smiled. He knew what he would see when he walked into the barn and wasn’t  
disappointed. He saw his baby brother sitting on the wall of Blaze’s stall. Adam strode over to the stall wall and plucked the little mite off the wall and giving him a stinging swat on his bottom said, “Sparky, you know you’re not supposed to  
be up there!” he said with mock severity. 

“Yes Adam.” Sparky said with a grin rubbing the stinging spot on his backside. 

Adam grinned as well and tousled the boy’s blonde hair. Then he picked  
up Sparky and held him on top of the stall wall while he fed Blaze his Christmas carrot.

Meanwhile, in the house Ben told the others of the only Christmas the child remembered.   
Linda Walker, Joyce Samuels and Mary Devlin were incensed and so was Seth Pruitt’s mother. They  
couldn’t believe a woman could be that cruel to a small child. 

Ben worried now. He knew the ladies would spoil Sparky to death all day, but smiled anyway.

When the child returned from giving his pony a Christmas Carrot Adam helped him unbutton his coat and he ran to the great room with the rest of the little boys to begin their Christmas. 

Ben unhooked Sparky’s Christmas stocking and sitting the child near the hearth to keep warm helped him to empty it. Sparky found a bag of marbles of his very own, a new top, some wrapped hard candy, an apple, an orange in the toe, a whistle, some chocolate drops in a small sack and a rabbit’s foot with a leather thong attached so he could wear it on his belt if he wanted to. The other boys received similar items in their stockings too. Ben’s stocking had held a new pipe, a pouch of tobacco as well as fruit and candy. 

Once everyone had had a chance to empty their stockings, adults included then Ben began the task of handing out the presents with Sparky’s help. Ben piled Sparky’s presents to one side as the little boy helped Ben to distribute the presents to his brothers and other guests including Christopher and Gregory. 

Sparky watched the others opening their gifts. He saw little Ricky open a Carved Noah’s Ark along with all the animals painted and was amazed. Hoss had worked all year to make toys for the children at the mines knowing they didn’t have much and was pleased to see their delight as they opened them. When Christopher opened a package that held a set of tin soldiers Sparky was delighted. “Wow Christopher, now your soldiers and mine can have a war together. If Little Joe joins in, we can have a real battle!”

“Yeah!” Christopher replied.

Gregory’s eyes nearly popped out of his head when he opened a package that held an entire set of carved and painted cowboys, Indians and horses to boot. The cowboys and Indians were carved in such a way that they would fit into the saddles of the horses and could ride them. Hoss again grinned in delight at the boy’s appreciation of his efforts. 

Chapter 34

When everyone had opened all their gifts Sparky still had a pile that stacked higher than the little boy was tall. Ben made Sparky sit down on the hearth and one by one gave him each package to open. He told him if it were a package from Santa Claus or someone else. 

As Sparky opened each gift his eyes became rounder and wider in amazement. He had another cup and ball, another set of tin soldiers, silver Conchos to put on Blazes bridle and silver spurs for his dress riding boots. He had his own slate and slate pencil, primer books for his letters and numbers, a set of bookends from Adam, a set of carved cowboys and Indians like the other boys, a very special carved replica of Blaze that had been painted to even the white blaze on his face and which the child turned over and over in amazement. He had received jeans, shirts, socks, another set of mittens with matching scarf and hat, a leather deerskin jacket with the leather fringe and all, another little Stetson hat he could wear to church, another suit as his other one had already seen better days, a pair of shoes he could wear to play in instead of his riding boots when he was playing in the barn and yard and not riding. Ben saved the most special gifts he had for the child until the last. Sparky’s eyes nearly popped out of his head and so did the other little boys when he opened up the replica of a steam locomotive. Sparky couldn’t believe it. “Papa? A train?”

“Well Sparky, actually the locomotive which pulls the rest of the cars in the train.”

Sparky jumped up and gave his papa a big hug and his big grey eyes were sparkling with excitement and happiness. Ben seldom had seen that in the child and was feeling very glad. Once Sparky had finished opening everything else Ben said, “Sparky, I think Santa left something else for you, but because it was a bit crowded under the tree I think he had to put it under my desk, why don’t you go under there and see if there’s something under there for you.”

Sparky ran to Ben’s desk and squealed with glee. There was a red wagon with wheels and a handle for him to pull it. He wheeled it out from behind the desk for everyone to see. It was painted red and yellow and Sparky immediately filled it with all his presents and said, “Now Papa, I have something to haul all my toys around in!”  
Sparky ran up and hugged Ben hard and he hugged the little mite happy to see his child enjoying his Christmas. 

Adam and Hoss helped Sparky to bring his books and clothes upstairs to his room.   
Sparky had received a pair of bookends from Adam that had a knight on a horse on each one and he placed Sparky’s new books between them on his desk. 

“Adam, what are the books for?”

“They are to teach you to be able to read Sparky.”

“Read?”

“Yes, you and I will work on that together okay?”

“I guess so.”

“Don’t worry about that now Sweet Pea. I promise you’ll love it when you learn to read. It’ll open up a new world for you.”

“What do you mean Adam?”

“You’ll be able to visit places in books Sparky that you can’t see any other way. When you begin to learn to read you’ll understand what I mean.”

“Okay Adam.”

The clothing was hung up and placed in the little boy’s drawers and once everything was in order they went downstairs. Sparky went over to his wagon and taking out each of his toys again began to play with them. 

Sparky put most of them into his toy box and the boys all played together with their cowboys, Indians and soldiers. 

Ben observed it all and was very satisfied. Sparky ate his fruit and cookies the ladies kept giving him until he looked at Ben all at once and said, “Papa, I have a tummy ache.”

Ben picked Sparky up and holding him in his arms asked, “Are you going to be sick?”

No, I don’t think so, but my tummy hurts.”

Ben brought the little mite to Hop Sing and Hop Sing gave him something fizzy to drink and then told Ben to put the child down for a nap. He should feel better by the time he woke up. Ben did exactly that although Sparky protested at first.

Later they all had a great Christmas dinner having cooked both a goose and a turkey along with a multitude of vegetables, potatoes, and desserts of every kind. 

It was getting late and the Walkers and the Samuels needed to head back to the mine. Barry and Ron both admonished their sons to be on their best behavior informing them that if they misbehaved Ben had their permission to deal with them as he saw fit, even if that meant a spanking. Both boys voiced their understanding and their families left. 

When Ben’s other guests finally left for home and the evening chores were completed The man sat in his chair and watched as all his boys played together. Ben had decided that he wouldn’t even give the children a bedtime tonight. When they fell asleep on the floor Adam, Hoss and himself picked them up, brought them up to Sparky’s room and put them into their nightshirts tucking them in for the night. 

Ben came back downstairs and carefully placing the debris from the day into the fireplace to burn cleaned up everything until all was neat as a pin. Adam and Hoss had even brought little Joe up to his room and tucked him in after he had fallen asleep on the   
settee. Adam and Hoss were playing a final game of checkers and Ben was sitting reading a new book he had gotten for Christmas and was content with the quiet of the night.

When Adam and Hoss said their good nights and went upstairs Ben banked the fire and put away his book. He checked on the three little boys tucked up in Sparky’s bed, then Little Joe, Hoss and Adam. Ben was a happy and content man when he crawled into his bed. 

****

Ben found himself trying to get three little boys ready for church on Sunday. Gregory and Christopher were of course old enough to dress themselves, but Sparky was being a bit of a trial this morning. He wanted to wear his new spurs to church and Ben had told him no. 

“But Papa why can’t I wear them?”

“Because they make too much noise for church.”

“But I like the noise they make.”

“I know Sparky, but the answer is still no.”

“Then when can I wear them?”

“One day when we go into town okay?”

“Papa, we’re going into town today aren’t we?”

“Sparky, I said no.”

“But Papa!”

Ben picked up the little mite and looked him right in the eye. “Nicholas, I said no and I mean no. If I hear one more word about wearing them, I’ll spank you right here in front of your friends do you understand?”

“Yes Papa.”

“Very good.” Ben put his little son down and finished brushing his hair. 

Gregory and Christopher had been watching the interactions between Sparky and his father and hoping Sparky didn’t end up getting a spanking. They both knew if they pushed their own fathers that way much further they too would have been spanked. 

Ben then helped Sparky to put on his dress boots and he was dressed. “Okay, you three go down to breakfast now.”

“Yes Papa, yes sir.”

The three boys went into the dining room and everyone else gathered and breakfast was served and eaten. 

Ben decided he would take the boys in the buggy and Sparky put up a big fuss. 

“Papa, I want to ride Blaze! I don’t want to ride in the buggy!”

“No Nicky, I want you to ride in the buggy with your friends.”

“If you weren’t going to let me ride Blaze, then why did you make me put on my riding boots instead of my shoes?”

“I wasn’t exactly thinking because you were arguing with me about wearing your spurs.”

“Well, if I can’t ride Blaze then I don’t want to wear my boots. I want to wear my shoes!”

“Nicholas, we don’t have time for me to change from your boots to your shoes now.   
You’ll just have to wear your boots!”

“But Papa, I don’t want to if I’m not riding!”

Ben was becoming exasperated with his five-year old son and ready to put a quick end to this with a few well aimed smacks to his child’s backside. 

Adam was listening to this little exchange and went into the barn and saddled Blaze. He led the pony out and picking the little mite up plopped him in the saddle.   
“You had better not complain little boy that it is too cold or anything else about riding to and from church today. You had your chance to ride with Pa and your friends in the buggy. Being you’re being such a little brat and we need to get going you may ride your pony, but I think if you mess up one more time today Pa will be warming your bottom do you understand?”

“Yes Adam.”

Ben was surprised that Adam had undermined his wishes and now would have to have a talk with the boy. Sparky had been just a hair’s width from getting turned over Ben’s knee and having a hard time sitting at church.

Once at church Adam plucked his little brother down off his horse and landed a hard swat to his bottom.

“Ouch! Adam, what was that for?”

“For giving Pa a hard time. You have guests and you are supposed to put forth a good example. Otherwise your guest won’t behave either.”

“Yes Adam.” Sparky rubbed his bottom. 

Ben had seen Adam swat Sparky and smiled. He now thought he understood. Adam hadn’t exactly been undermining Ben, he had just been letting the little one experience the consequences of his behavior. Sparky’s buddies had seen Adam swat their friend too and were glad it hadn’t been one of them. 

Chapter 35

Once in church Ben and Adam sandwiched the three little boys between them and then Ben sandwiched Little Joe between himself and Hoss. Gregory was seated next to Ben and Christopher next to Adam with Sparky in between. 

Sally Robbins and a couple of her girlfriends who were visiting sat in front of the boys with their braids and ribbons hanging down over the back of the pew in full view of the boys. Christopher looked at Gregory and they both looked at Sparky in the middle. Christopher and Gregory without the knowledge of Ben and Adam had managed to take the girls hair ribbons and tie the ribbons together, effectively tying the girls to each other. At the end of the service when Sally and her friends got up to leave they found themselves unable to move because their hair ribbons were tied to each other’s hair. The three little boys giggled and laughed and Ben then understood what had happened. 

Ben eyed the boys and he and Adam worked at untying the ribbons so that the little girls were again separated. Sally Robbins turned around and thanked Ben and Adam,

“Thank you Mr. Cartwright, Adam for releasing us.” She then went over to Sparky, pulled back her little fist and socked him right in the eye.

Sparky gave out a wail and Sally stalked off while Sparky clapped his hand over his left eye. 

Ben and Jake were shocked. 

Ben went over and picked up Sparky and tried to look at his eye. 

Jake Robbins went over to his daughter and scolded her soundly and told her she would be receiving a sound spanking for hitting Sparky.

Christopher and Gregory were shocked too at what Sally Robbins had done to Sparky. 

Sparky was crying hard and not letting Ben see his eye. 

Ben just picked up his child and carried him out of the church. Christopher and Gregory shepherded by Adam left the church too. 

Sparky was mad. His eye hurt bad and he hadn’t even been the one who had tied the girl’s hair together. It had been all Christopher and Gregory’s doing. 

Ben again tried to pry Sparky’s hand from his eye and finally was able to see the boy’s left eye red and swelling, quickly turning purple. 

Adam seeing this went over to a pile of snow and packed a large snowball and bringing it over to Ben gently placed it on his little brother’s eye. 

Sparky set up a howling again because it hurt. With Ben holding Sparky’s hands tight, Adam was able to keep the solidly packed snowball on Sparky’s eye amid his unhappy wails of pain. 

When Sparky’s wails settled down to whimpers and the snowball melted down Ben then took his little boy in his arms and held him tight. Sparky was shaking, whimpering and hiccupping. Ben soothed the little boy until he quieted. 

“Sparky, do you want to ride with Papa in the buggy home?”

“No Papa.” He sniffed. “I want to ride my pony.”

“Are you sure? Do you think you’re okay enough to ride now?”

“Yes Papa, I’m not a baby.”

Ben smiled to himself. The child was nothing but a baby to him. “Okay Sweet Pea.” Ben walked over and plopped the little boy into his saddle. 

When they got home Ben eyed all three little boys and said, “I want to see all three of you in the great room as soon as Sparky gets done putting up his pony.”

Christopher and Gregory exchanged glances. They knew they were caught. They were certain that Mr. Cartwright knew Sparky couldn’t have done the mischief because Sparky didn’t know how to tie bows yet. 

Adam helped Sparky to put up Blaze. When Sparky rubbed his sore eye for the third time Adam reached out and grabbed his little hand. “Sparky, don’t do that, you’ll only make it hurt more.”

“Adam, it itches.”

“That’s because it is still swelling. Sally sure walloped you good baby.”

“Adam! I’m not a baby!”

“Sparky, I didn’t mean it like that. You know Pa and I call you baby as an affectionate term, not that you are a baby.”

Sparky flung himself into Adam’s arms and began to cry again and Adam hugged him tight rubbing his back and soothing him. When Sparky stopped crying Adam wiped his good eye and gently patted his damaged one. “Sparky, I think we better get you to the house. Pa wants to talk to the three of you boys.”

“Adam, will Papa spank me?”

“I don’t know Sparky; I don’t think so. He might spank your little buddies though.”

Adam carried Sparky up to the house. He had his fingers in his mouth chewing on them and Adam said before they entered the house, “Sparky, don’t do that.”

The little boy took his fingers out of his mouth and they went inside. 

Gregory and Christopher were sitting on the couch and Adam deposited Sparky there, taking off his coat and hanging it up along with his little Stetson.

Ben looked at the three little boys sitting on the couch One very small boy, one medium and one very large boy. 

Ben stood in front of them and crossing his arms eyed each one of them. He noticed Sparky’s left eye was even more puffier now than earlier. 

“I want you boys to tell me what that was all about at the church this morning.”

Sparky looked at Ben, but the other two boys looked down at their shoes. He knew then that his own little boy had nothing to do with this. He also knew for a fact that Sparky didn’t yet know how to tie bows because either himself, Adam or one of the other boys ended up tying his shoes when he wore them. 

“boys, I’m waiting for an answer.” Ben said quietly, but sharply.

Christopher and Gregory jumped. Then Gregory began, “Mr. Cartwright, the girl’s braids hanging down with their ribbons were just too tempting. Christopher and me tied the ribbons together. We thought it would be funny to see the girls all tied to each other. Sparky just watched us. He didn’t do anything.”

“We didn’t think that girl would walk up to Sparky and nail him.” Christopher said.

“Papa, it was funny to see them all tied together. I’m sorry I laughed, but I couldn’t help it. I think that’s why Sally Robbins socked me.”

In a way Ben wanted to laugh. It had been funny to see the three little girls all tied together by their hair. He hadn’t liked however that little Sally Robbins had just walked up to Sparky and nailed him. He knew Jake Robbins would spank her for that though and so wasn’t too worried about that part of things. His decision now was how to deal with the two boys in his care who had created the mischief. He thought about that if it had been Adam or Hoss he would have spanked them for this and decided he would have to spank the two boys for this. He would also give Sparky a few swats for laughing at the girls because he did see and know what his little friends were doing. 

“You two go up to Sparky’s room and wait for me.”

“Yes Sir.” Christopher and Gregory trudged up the stairs and into the room they were sharing with Sparky. 

Ben took Sparky by his arm, turned him and gave him three hard swats to his backside.

“Ow! Papa!”

“That was for laughing at the girls.”

“Yes Papa.” Sparky rubbed his now stinging bottom. 

Ben brought Sparky into the kitchen and asked Hop Sing, “Hop Sing, will you take care of Sparky’s black eye?”

“No worry Mister Cartwright, Hop Sing take care of little boy very well.”

“Thank you Hop Sing. I have two naughty little boys I need to deal with. Please keep Sparky in here for a little while.”

“No worry Mister Ben, Hop Sing take care of little one.”

Ben left Sparky in Hop Sing’s capable hands and went upstairs to deal with the two little boys.

Ben entered the room and shut the door.  
“Boys, sit on the bed please.”

The two little boys sat on the edge of the bed. Ben pulled Sparky’s desk chair out and placed it in front of the two little boys.  
“Before we left the mine, both your father’s gave me permission to deal with you as I felt if there was any disciplining to be done. What you both did in church today embarrassed three little girls and got your friend injured as a result.” The two little boys looked ashamed. “Look at me boys while I am speaking to you.”

Both pairs of brown eyes rose to meet Bens dark brown ones. 

“I am going to spank the both of you for this and when your parents come for you I will be telling them about this as well.”

The two boys looked at each other then. They would be getting spanked again for sure.

“Do the two of you know why you are being spanked?”

“Yes Sir, for misbehaving in church, embarrassing the girls and getting Sparky into trouble when it wasn’t his fault.”

“Very good. Gregory, I will spank you first.”

Gregory approached Ben and he pulled the large boy across his knee and applied his hand vigorously to the little boy’s bottom. Gregory yelped and felt the heat that Ben created there until he began to cry because the spanking had begun to hurt. When Ben was through Gregory’s bottom was very hot and very sore. Then he did the same to Christopher. He comforted both boys and forgave them. Then let them lie on the bed to rest until lunch was served. 

Chapter 36  
“Ow Hop Sing! That hurts!”

“Not as much as Hop Sing’s wooden spoon.”

Sparky stopped struggling knowing that Hop Sing wouldn’t hesitate to spank him with that wooden spoon either. 

Once Hop Sing was through ministering to the boy he poured him a glass of milk and set him down with some cookies. He knew the other boys were being spanked and Sparky didn’t need to hear it. 

Later that afternoon a carriage pulled up to the Ponderosa and Jake Robbins stepped down and picking up his daughter from the carriage stood her on the ground. Then he took her by the hand and led her up to the door. 

“Hello Mr. Cartwright, I’ve come with my Papa to apologize to Sparky for punching him in the eye.”

“Well Sally come on in.”

Sally and Jake came in and The other boys who had been playing stopped their play and stepped into the great room. Jake noticed two of the boys sitting very carefully down on the couch and poor little Sparky with a pretty good shiner given to him by his daughter.

Sally unconsciously rubbed her own sore bottom on the seat of her jeans. Sally’s father let her dress in jeans when she wasn’t going to church or school, it was easier for her to help him with ranch chores and to ride her pony. “Sparky, I’m really sorry for punching you in the eye.”

“I forgive you Sally. I wasn’t the one who tied your hair ribbons together Sally, it was my friends Gregory and Christopher. I am sorry for laughing at you and your friends though. I think my friends want to say something to you too.”

“We’re sorry Sally to you and your friends for playing that kind of a practical joke on you.”

“Apology accepted.”  
“Here to.”

Sally was invited by the boys to play and Sparky invited her to get into his wagon so he could give her a ride. When her tender bottom hit the hard bottom of the wagon she yelped. Sparky eyed her with his one good eye and she blushed. “Papa spanked me hard for hitting you Sparky.”

“I’m sorry you got spanked Sally, but you shouldn’t have hit me.”

“you’re right.”  
The four children then played together and Jake and Ben visited. 

When Adam, Hoss and little Joe came in from finishing up the chores and putting Mr. Robbins buggy in the barn they all paid their respects to Mr. Robbins and sitting down in the living room watched the children play.   
After a while Adam, Hoss and Little Joe joined the children and Jake Robbins raised an eyebrow in Ben’s direction and both men smiled at the scene. 

Chapter 37

The next day found the Ponderosa besieged by a blizzard and everyone was kept indoors. Adam got out Grimm’s fairytales to entertain the boys. There were groans when he suggested reading such tales as Sleeping Beauty and Snow white. He did however end up Reading Hansel and Gretel and Little Red Riding Hood. The boys got a kick out of the witch getting thrown into the oven and the wolf eating up grandma, believing these stories were more worthy of boys. Adam then entertained them with some fairy tales from Hans Christian Anderson reading them the ugly duckling, The princess and the pea and the Emperor’s New Clothes.

“Adam, how come the princess was able to feel the pea through all that stuff?”

“I guess Sparky, because she was the right one and she was sensitive to the pea being under the mattress.”

“Well, how come everyone didn’t tell the emperor he didn’t have any clothes on besides the little boy?”

“Because Sparky, sometimes people will just go along with anything and not think for themselves.”

“Adam, that was pretty stupid.”

Adam chuckled. “That it was Sparky.”

Ben then shooed the boys upstairs for a nap. 

Over the next few days Adam entertained the children by reading the book Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe, acting out the parts and changing his voice with the different characters. The boys loved it and Adam also had a good time. He had even drawn Hoss and Little Joe into the reading and play acting. All the older boys had had fun acting out their parts and all the little boys loved being entertained. 

New Year’s Eve dawned bright and cold. There was no snow and the boys went outside for a snowball fight and to gang up on Pa. They all had great fun slipping and sliding and when they were all frozen came inside to thaw out and Hop Sing made hot chocolate and cookies for everyone

Later in the afternoon sleigh bells were heard and a sleigh pulled up with The walkers and the Samuels. Christopher and Gregory were very happy to see their families.   
Gregory’s brothers Brian, Danny and Ricky were excited to see their brother. Brian was about Hoss’s age, about 16, Danny was about Little Joes age, being about 12 and Ricky being 4. Ricky made a beeline for Sparky and pushed him down. Sparky hit his head hard on the edge of the low oak table, cutting it open at his temple. Sparky let out a howl and Barry walked quickly over to his young child and flipped him over his knee, pulled down his pants and spanked him until the little boy howled. Barry looked totally embarrassed.   
Sparky cried and Ben picked him up and was trying to stem the flow of blood. Linda was incensed at her child. She was tempted to take a hairbrush to his still stinging backside.   
Brian and Danny looked totally embarrassed as did Gregory. Christopher had been receiving hugs and kisses from his parents and hadn’t seen what had happened and so was surprised by all the sudden wailing of children. 

Barry made Ricky sit in a chair and Linda supervised him sitting there while Barry followed Ben into the kitchen to see what the damages were. 

Sparky was wailing loudly and Hop Sing had been able to pull his hands away from the wound to see the damage. The child would require several stitches and Hop Sing had Ben hold the little tyke’s hands while he stitched him up. Hop Sing put a salve over the cut and stitches and bandaged Sparky up. Ben almost laughed. With the bandage around his head and his still very prominent black eye the little mite looked like a miniature pirate. 

When Sparky had stopped his crying and saw Barry he looked up. 

Barry then saw the boy’s newly bruised eye. “Sparky, have you been fighting again?”

“No Sir, a girl in church socked me for something I didn’t even do.”

“A girl?”

“Yes, Sally Robbins. Her father spanked her for it though.”

“Why did she sock you?”

“She thought I tied her and her friend’s hair ribbons together in church, but I didn’t do it because I don’t know how to tie things. Gregory and Christopher had done it.”

“Oh really?”

“Yes, Barry, I spanked both boys for their mischief.”

“I’m glad you did Ben, sounds like they needed it.”

Ben shifted Sparky in his arms and Barry put out his arms for the boy. Sparky went into them and Barry held him snugly. “I spanked Ricky good for pushing you down and hurting you Sparky.”

“Mr. Walker, why does he keep doing that?”

“I think it’s because you’re such a little mite he knows he can and likes the idea of being able to do it.”

Sparky looked a bit dejected. “Mr. Walker, when will I grow up to be bigger than Ricky so I can push him down?”

“Sparky, I don’t think that’s ever going to happen son. Besides you shouldn’t be pushing anyone down either do you hear?”

“Yes Sir.”

“Sparky boy, when am I going to see you with both eyes grey instead of one being black?”

“When someone doesn’t hit me.”

“Or…”

“Or when I don’t get into a fight.” The little boy grinned at the big man. Barry patted his backside and handed him back to his father. 

“Sparky, I think perhaps I’m going to put you down for a nap boy.”

“No Papa, please! I’m not tired and I’m not a baby!”

“Maybe not, but I’m going to put you down anyway.”

Sparky pouted and Ben walked into the great room heading for the stairs. 

Adam seeing his baby brother looking unhappy walked up to Pa and snitched the child from his father’s arms and said, “Pa, I’ll take him up and read him a story if it’s okay with you.”

“Sure Adam, you go ahead.”

“This way you can visit with our guests. You haven’t had much time to greet them properly and be the gracious host you usually are.”

Ben grinned then at his oldest son. “Sparky, you be good for Adam.”

“Yes Papa, if I don’t Adam will swat me.”

“Yes, I’m sure he will.”

Adam headed up the stairs with the little mite. 

Ben turned and tended to his guests. 

Chapter 37

“Adam, why is everyone carrying me around all of a sudden?”

“Well, Sweet Pea, you did whack your head pretty hard and if you got dizzy you could fall. We just want to keep you safe.”

“Okay.”

Adam pulled Sparky’s shoes off and plumped up his pillows and covered him with a quilt. Then he read him a story from Aesop’s Fables and the child drifted off to sleep. 

“Ben you’re a lucky man to have a son like Adam.”

“Yes I am. He’s been father and big brother all rolled up into one. He’s good with the little ones. 

“I’m sorry for my son, he just doesn’t understand yet that he can’t just push down children smaller than himself. He’s only four Ben.”

“I understand. I’m only concerned that Sparky ends up being the one hurt. I also know my little one will only take so much of that before he will explode and do something to your son in return and I would like to avoid that.”

“So would I, but maybe that may be what it comes down to. If Ricky finds out that a child smaller than himself can stand up to him he’ll quit doing it.”

Ben sighed. “I just don’t want that to happen. Sparky already tends to be too aggressive toward children bigger than himself and although holds his own usually ends up coming out of it with cuts and bruises. I’ll never be able to get him started in school if he doesn’t begin to get along better with other children. He needs to stop reacting so badly to other children calling him a ‘baby’., it’s the major thing that triggers him into fights”

“I’ll keep a closer eye on Ricky.”

“I’d appreciate that.”  
The two men sat back and watched the other children. Christopher and Gregory were playing and Gregory was letting Ricky play with them. Little Joe and Danny were also playing in another corner of the room. Hoss and Brian were playing a game of checkers and all the boys seemed to be content. Linda and Joyce were talking with each other and Ron joined Ben and Barry. 

“Hi Ben, how’s it going?”

“Okay Ron, this thing between Ricky and Sparky is a bit of a problem and Barry and I are trying to work it out. Christopher and Gregory seem to be getting along better with Sparky as long as they don’t call him a ‘baby’.”

“That’s good to know. Has Christopher been any problem for you?”

“Not really, there was only one incident at church Sunday where Gregory and Christopher tied the hair ribbons of a few girls in the pew in front of us together. Sally Robbins, one of the girls socked poor Sparky in the eye. He didn’t even do it because he can’t tie yet. I spanked both Christopher and Gregory for it.”

“I’m glad Ben, I’ll have a talk with him about that kind of behavior. By the way, how did you keep from laughing? It sounds like it was funny.”

“I tried very hard to remember I was the Pa, not one of the little boys pulling the prank.”  
All three men laughed heartily at this. 

After a while Adam came downstairs.

“How is he Adam?”

“Asleep Pa. He’ll be all right I think.”

“Good. Thank you son for taking care of your brother.”

“No problem Pa. I like it.”

Sparky woke up with a bit of a headache. He stretched and found he had a bruise on his arm from his fall. 

‘I’m really tired of being pushed around by kids  
bigger than me. I’m not going to let that Ricky push me down any more. Then next time he tries that I’m going to be ready for him and I’m going to push him  
down instead. Then I’m going to beat him up. No, I’d better not. If I start another fight Papa will really spank me. I’ll have to find a way to get  
back at him without fighting then.’

Sparky crawled out of his bed and then got down on his hands and knees, pulling out the chamber pot from under the bed and used it. He washed his hands  
in water that was still in the basin and pushed the chamber pot under the bed letting it stick out a bit so Hop Sing would know he had used it.

Adam looked up to see his little brother coming down the stairs. He reached up as he hit the landing and picking him up set him down on the main floor with  
a smile.

Sparky grinned up at his big brother too and then ran over to see what Gregory and Christopher were doing. Ricky was playing with them too and Sparky  
eyed him warily.

“Ricky, you had better not push me down again. I’ll have to tell your Papa if you do.”

“Papa spanked me for pushing you Sparky, I’m sorry for pushing you down.”

“I forgive you Ricky, but you had better remember not to do that again. You made me get a cut on my head and now I have a headache and Hop Sing had to put  
a needle in my skin to sew up the cut I got. That hurts too.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Okay. Just remember not to push me down anymore.”

The little boys resumed their play.

Chapter 38

Sparky grew restless. He played with the other boys then jumped up and wandered out into the kitchen.

“What little boy want in Hop Sing’s kitchen???”

“Nothing Hop Sing, I was bored and didn’t know what to do so I thought I’d come out here to see what you were doing.”

“Hop Sing making dinner, no time to play with little boy. May help Hop Sing if boy wants.”

“Okay Hop Sing.”

Hop Sing gave Sparky vegetables to clean and then beans to snap. Once Sparky finished with this chore Hop Sing gave him a cookie and a glass of milk then sent  
Him back out to the great room.

Ricky was looking at the Christmas tree and went over to pull at the popcorn and cranberry strings that decorated the tree. Linda seeing this went over and  
smacked his hands and told him not to touch it and picking him up brought him back to where the other boys were playing.

Ricky spied Sparky’s new wagon he received for Christmas. He went over and throwing all Sparky’s toys out of it jumped into it and began to try to scoot  
it along with his legs outside of the walls. Sparky came out and seeing Ricky in his wagon ran over to it and demanded, “Ricky! Get out of my wagon!”

“No! I don’t have to!”

“Get out!!” Sparky took and pushed Ricky with all his little mite tipping over the wagon.   
Ricky spilled out onto the floor and began to cry. Sparky jumped on top of  
Ricky and sat on him pinning him to the floor.

“You promise to leave my things alone!”

“Papa! Sparky’s being mean to me!”

“Ricky, you’re Papa isn’t going to help you this Time!

Adam came over and plucked his little brother up off the younger boy.

“Adam! What are you doing?!”

“You little boy are being very naughty.”

“But Adam, he’s going to break my wagon playing with it that way!”

“Nicky, stop it right now. If you don’t I’m bringing you upstairs and you will stay in your room.”

“No Adam, only Papa can do that! You’re not in charge!”

Ben came over and eyeing Adam asked, “What is going on here?”

“Pa, Sparky knocked Ricky out of his wagon and he’s being naughty.”

“I’ll take him Adam.”

Ben took the child from his son and brought him upstairs and closed the door to Sparky’s room.  
“Little boy, what has got into you?”

“Papa, I don’t like Ricky. He’s always hurting me and I don’t like it. He was playing with my toys. He didn’t even ask if he could play in my wagon and he threw  
All my toys all over the place and… and…” Sparky burst into tears. Ben held his crying child understanding the little boys’ frustrations.

Adam picked up Sparky’s scatter toys, after up righting the wagon and placing them back into it, wheeled it under his father’s desk for protection.

When Sparky stopped crying Ben holding the small boy in his lap said, “Sparky, I’m sorry that Ricky is too young to understand how much he is upsetting you. You need to understand that although he is bigger than you in body he is younger than you in his ability to understand things.”

“Yes Papa.” Sparky said dejectedly. 

“Now, you may come back downstairs if you behave yourself. One more incident like this little boy and you will find yourself over my knee. Is that clear?”

“Yes Papa.”

“Good.”

Ben picked up his little one and hugged him and patted his bottom playfully. 

Ben came down and set Sparky back down on the floor and noticed the wagon had disappeared. Adam glanced over to his father’s desk and Ben grinned. 

About an hour before supper there were more sleigh bells sounding and Paul Martin, Roy Coffee, The Pruitt’s, Jim Hicks and his wife as well as the Devlin's arrived. The children all played together and Paul raised an eyebrow at Ben noticing the little boy’s battered condition. 

“What the devil has Sparky gotten into this time Ben?”

“Well, Sally Robbins nailed him in church on Sunday for tying the hair ribbons of her and her friends together when he didn’t do it and Barry Walker’s little boy Ricky pushed Sparky down making him hit his head on the wooden oak table. Hop Sing had to stitch him up.”

“Poor little tyke.”

Hop Sing called everyone to supper. 

Sparky was fussy at supper. “Papa, I’m not hungry.”

“Sparky, please eat your supper, don’t play with your food.”

Sparky continued to push the food around on his plate having only eaten a few bites. He tried to hide most of it under a piece of bread, but Ben knew that little trick from Little Joe’s days of being a fussy eater. He leaned over and to Sparky’s surprised pulled the little boy onto his own lap.

“Sparky you will eat.” Ben began to feed the boy from his own plate as what Sparky had done to his own food had made it very unappetizing to look at no less eat. When Sparky made to protest Ben just stuck a forkful of meat into the boy’s open mouth forcing him to chew and swallow. Ben leaned down and whispered into his little boy’s ear, “Nicholas, if you don’t want to be embarrassed by being turned over my knee right here you will eat.”

Sparky’s one good eye widened and rounded and he gave his father no more problems.   
Ben was careful to not over feed his child as he didn’t want Sparky to get sick like he did that one time. 

When the meal was finished and dessert devoured Ricky piped up, “Ricky is a big boy. He can eat all by himself and doesn’t have to sit in his Papa’s lap and be fed like a baby.”

Ben quickly wrapped his arms around Sparky as he felt the boy tense. He knew without a doubt that his boy would jump down and do the other little boy harm. 

“Papa! Let me down! I’m going to show him who’s a baby!”

“No Nicholas, you sit here and don’t you even think of getting down from my lap.”

Linda went over to her son and without ceremony picked him up and brought him into the great room away from everyone and administered a sharp spanking. Everyone including Sparky could hear it if not see it.

When she was through she marched Ricky up to Sparky while Ricky was rubbing his bottom.  
“S-Sparky, I-I’m sorry for calling you a b-baby.”

“Okay Ricky, but don’t you be calling me that again.”

To Sparky’s surprise Ben upended him and administered one hard swat to his backside.

“Ow! Papa, what was that for?”

“I think you can respond a little bit more nicely to Ricky’s apology.”

“Yes Papa.” Sparky said a bit dejectedly. “Ricky, I accept your apology.”

“That’s better little boy.”

“Yes Papa.”

As the evening wore on the little boys fell asleep and their father’s or mothers settled them in their beds for the night.   
The adults saw the new year in and they all sought their beds as well. 

Chapter 39

New Year’s Day saw all the older boys pitching in to get the chores finished and breakfast ready for all. 

Sparky wandered out to the barn and climbed up on the stall. Ben saw the little boy and glanced at Adam who grinning walked over to Sparky.

“Little boy, how many times do I have to tell you not to climb up here?”

“I don’t know Adam.”

Adam plucked Sparky off the wall and swatted him hard twice this time. Sparky looked up at him startled and a bit worried. Adam tried hard to look mad, but Sparky saw through him and hugged his big brother. Adam hugged him back and kissed him on the cheek and let him down. 

“Adam, I want to give Blaze a New Year’s carrot.”

“Okay, Sweet Pea.” Adam lifted the little boy back onto the wall of the stall keeping an arm around his waist. When Sparky finished feeding his pony his carrot Adam set him back down again. 

They all went back into the house when the chores were completed. 

“Sparky, come and eat your breakfast!”

“Okay Adam.”

Sparky came into the dining room along with all the other children and Hop Sing brought in platters of food. Sparky again played with his food.   
“Nicky, stop playing with your food.”  
“Yes Papa.”

Sparky ate some more and then pushing his plate away more than half full looked at Ben. “Papa, may I be excused?”

“Not until you eat some more of your breakfast little boy.”

“But Papa, I’m not hungry anymore.”

“Then you will sit here until everyone else is ready to leave the table little boy. “

“Yes Papa.” Sparky sat there looking very sad. Ben ignored this ploy. 

When everyone else had eaten their breakfast and the other children had been excused poor little Sparky was still sitting at the table now looking quite cross. 

“Papa! I want to be excused.”

“I told you little boy you would not be excused until everyone left the table. Not   
everyone has left the table yet.”

“But Papa! I want to be excused so I can go play!”

“Young man, if you keep on this way you won’t be going anywhere but up to your room until dinner.”

Sparky then began to cry big silent tears. Ben ignored them and continued to drink his coffee. The other adults at the table began to feel sorry for the little one and one by one   
began to leave the table. Ben continued to sit there until Sparky stopped crying. He was not going to be manipulated by his son.   
When Ben picked up the paper to read at the table with his coffee Sparky began to sulk and pout. 

Adam Hoss and little Joe were watching their father with Sparky. 

“Adam, Pa is really being tough on Sparky.”

“Yes Little Joe, our little brother needs to know that Pa can be as stubborn as we can. If   
the little tyke figures out that he needs to change his attitude and stop sulking and pouting then he will get released. If not Pa will keep him sitting there until dinner.”

“Whew. I don’t know if the little mite will stand for that brother.”

“If he doesn’t he just might end up doing that, I mean standing.”

Adam walked over to Sparky and hunkering down next to the child’s chair looked his little brother in his good eye. He said very quietly so only Sparky and he could hear. “Sparky, if you ever want to leave the table you’ll need to stop looking so cross, sulking and pouting. As long as you continue to do that Pa isn’t letting you go anywhere little brother. You just might end up where you don’t want to be if you get my meaning.”  
Adam then walked away from the little boy.

Ben had watched his oldest from over his paper and smiled at his words to the littlest Cartwright. If anyone knew about how Pa handled strong minded little boys it would be Adam, having been one himself.

 

Sparky thought about Adam’s words and relaxed. He stopped pouting and sulking. He ventured, “Papa?”

“Yes Sparky?”

“I’m sorry for sulking and pouting. May I be excused now?”

Ben looked at his little son and saw he was indeed no longer sulking or pouting. “You may be excused. Next time you better think about your behavior or you might end up over my knee do you understand?”

“Yes Papa.”

“Then go ahead. You may go play now.”

Sparky jumped out of his chair and seeing Adam crawled up into his lap and said quietly,   
“Thanks Adam for getting me out of trouble with Papa.”

“You’re welcome baby.”

Sparky eyed him and Adam smiled at him and tousled his hair.

After dinner the Walkers and the Samuels loaded up their sleigh and headed back to the mine. Later the Devlin’s left along with The Pruitt’s, Paul Martin, Jim Hicks, his wife and Roy Coffee. 

Supper was a quiet affair everyone being a bit tired out after the long day. Sparky went out with the boys to the barn as they performed their evening chores. Sparky climbed up on Blaze’s stall and Adam smiling plucked him off and giving him a stinging swat to his little bottom said, “Sparky, you’re not supposed to be up there.”

“Yes Adam.” He grinned at his big brother, but did not get up on the stall again. 

Adam shook his head and completed his chores. 

Ben took Sparky up to bed when it was time and also shooed Little Joe to bed as he had been falling asleep by the fire. 

“Adam?”

“Yes Hoss?”

“I’m a bit puzzled.”

“About what?”

“Sparky and you.”

“What about us?”

“Why does he always climb up on the wall of Blaze’s stall when he knows he’s not supposed to and that you’ll take him down and swat him?”

“I think it’s the way he likes to relate to me Hoss. It’s kind of like our own little special communication.”

“What are you communicating?”

“The fact that we care enough about each other and that I love him and he feels secure with me knowing how I’ll act toward him when he does that.”

“Oh. I wish we had some kind of thing between us like that.”

“You’ll find your own thing with Sparky Hoss, just watch for an opportunity to develop something.”

“I’ll have to keep an eye out for an opportunity.”

“Yes, he was a little worried that I was really upset with him this morning when I changed our little ritual and gave him two swats instead of my usual one. Then he saw through me and hugged me and we were okay. If you notice Hoss, he never climbs on any other stall other than Blaze’s stall.”

“Hmm… I guess I never really noticed, but now that you mention it you’re right.”

“It’s also why Pa doesn’t get real mad at him and isn’t the one to pluck him off the wall. He leaves that up to me unless I’m not here and then Sparky doesn’t do it.”

“He doesn’t?”

“Nope. Pa says he only does it when I’m here and working in the barn.”

“Adam, that’s kinda cute.”

“I know. If he were to climb up on any of the other stalls he would know he would be in real trouble and might even get a spanking so, he doesn’t do it.”

“Smart kid.”

“Yes Hoss, he really is.”

“How did this get started between you?”

“I think it began after I gave him a spanking for him trying to kick me when he told me only Pa could give me permission. He didn’t know Pa was standing behind him and had given me the go ahead and indicated how many swats I should give him.”

“Ouch.”

“Yep.” Adam grinned. He hasn’t really pushed me since then either.”

“Adam, that little mite is so cute. I just love him to death.”

“I know Hoss. We all do. I don’t ever want us to experience another time like that when Sparky had the accident and was gone from us.”

“Me neither, it was a horrible time.”

Chapter 40

A couple of days after New Year’s it began to snow very hard. They were confined to the house. Sparky and Little Joe were constantly bickering and this was getting on Ben’s nerves.  
“Little Joe! Those were my soldiers!”

“Well, then get them out of the way!”

“No, I was playing on the hearth first!”

“You always hog the best spots and then I can’t play!”

“You’re being unfair!”

Ben closed his ledger looking up. “Enough! If the two of you begin arguing again, you’ll be spending time in the corner!”

“But Pa, he started it!”

“No, Papa, he did!”

Ben got up and picked up Sparky and stood him in the corner with a hard swat to his behind. Then he took Little Joe by the upper arm and stood him in the other corner applying a hard swat to his seat as well. “You two will stand in the corner now until I tell you you may leave it. If I have to I’ll spank the both of you and send you to your room. If I were you I’d take this chance to think about what you’ve been doing and change your ways!”

“Yes Sir, Yes Papa.”

Ben sat back down at his desk and continued his work now in relative quiet. After a time, he released the boys from their corners. 

After a couple of days of this and a couple of warmed bottoms later Ben’s nerves were getting frazzled. If those two little boys had one more fight he might just have to do their bottoms some serious damage. Adam sought out his father.  
“Pa?”

“Now what?”

“Nothing Pa, I just wondered if you think it would be a good time for me to work with Little Joe and Sparky on their school work.”

Ben thought about this. He remembered what Miss Travis had said about Sparky’s learning and decided. “That would be a good idea Adam, you could catch Little Joe up on his lessons and teach Sparky what he needs to know.”

“Okay Pa, but I want to be able to work with them as though it would be a real school room. Sparky needs to learn the self-discipline that he needs to have in school.”

“Good idea. You go ahead.”

“Pa, it might mean spanking Sparky or standing him in a corner or even swatting his hand with a ruler.”

“Now Adam, let’s not get carried away. “You may stand him in a corner. If there’s any spanking to be done I will be the one to do it. No swatting his hand with a ruler either. Is that understood?”

“Yes Sir.”

Adam set up a corner of the great room for his school. Little Joe sat on a chair with a small table that Hop Sing had brought into the room for this purpose. Adam had assigned him to read a chapter from his history book with having to answer the questions he had given him.

Sparky sat on a chair too with a small table in front of him and Hop Sing had brought down the slate, pencil and primer books from the little mite’s room  
for Adam.

“Sparky, I want you to look at this and tell me what letter it is.”

“I don’t know Adam.”

“Do you remember the letters Miss Travis had you write at the mine school?”

“I copied them when she put them on my slate. I don’t remember what she called them anymore.”

Adam quirked an eyebrow at this. He remembered Sparky correctly identifying the letters of his name on the ornament that his father had shown him at Christmas. He wondered at why the little boy was telling him he didn’t remember his letters. 

Adam pointed to the letter “A” in the book with the picture of an apple next to it. “What is this?” Adam asked pointing to the apple.

“An Apple.”

“Correct. The word ‘apple’ begins with the letter ‘A’.” Adam then said, “Sparky, I want you to copy the letter ‘A’ on your slate and then write it until  
you cover your slate.”

” I don’t like to write Adam.”

“I know you don’t Sweet Pea, but you will need to learn how to do it any way.”

“Why?”

“So you can write your name and when you get older be able to sign things that are important like contracts for the Ponderosa.”

“What is sign?”

“It can be a couple of things Sparky. It can mean to write your name; it can be a word or words giving information. Like the sign when we come into town that  
says Virginia City.”

“Oh.”

Sparky began the assignment that Adam gave him of writing the letter ‘A’.

Little Joe sat back and rubbed his eyes. He had finished reading the history chapter and then began to answer the questions Adam had given him. 

Sparky got tired of writing after a little bit a put down his pencil and got up off his chair heading toward his toy box.

“Sparky, where are you going?”

“I’m tired of writing that letter Adam, I want to play.”

Adam went over to the little boy and picked him up and put him back in his chair.  
“You need to ask permission first. Remember this is school Sparky.” Adam looked at the work Sparky had done. He had written his letter several times, but  
not near the amount Adam wanted him to. “Sparky, when you fill your slate with this letter then you may play for a little while.”

“But Adam, I don’t want to do this anymore.”

“Sparky it doesn’t matter if you want to or not. This is your assignment and you need to do it.”

“My hand hurts. Adam, I don’t want to do this anymore.”

“I’m sorry if your hand hurts Sparky, you will not play until you do your work.”

“I want to play! I don’t want to do any dumb old work!” Sparky picked up his slate and pencil and threw it on the floor.

“Nicholas you pick up your slate and pencil right now.”

“No, I won’t!”

“Then you can stand in the corner until you decide to do what you are told.”  
Adam picked up Sparky and put him in the corner. Sparky began to cry and Adam ignored him.

Little Joe was watching this scene out of the corner of his eye. He wondered how Adam was going to handle his little brother’s temper tantrum.

Ben too was observing his oldest son with his baby son. He had given Adam free reign over the school project and didn’t interfere.

Hoss came in stomping snow off his boots and hung up his hat and coat. He noticed Sparky standing in the corner and the slate and pencil on the floor. He shook his head. His little brother was already acting naughty toward Adam. Not a good thing. Hoss walked over to where Sparky was standing in the corner.

“Whatcha doing here Sparky?”

“Adam made me stand here.”

“What did ya do?”

“I threw down my slate and pencil and then wouldn’t pick them up. I want to play Hoss. I don’t want to do this school thing.”

“Little brother, ya ain’t got a choice. Ya gonna have ta do it or ‘ol Adam here will make ya stand in the corner all day ifn ya don’t apologize and  
do what he tells ya.”

“But Hoss, I don’t want to.”

“Well, then I guess ya get to stand in the corner.”  
Hoss left his little brother standing there. Adam let Hoss talk to Sparky hoping he would be able to have more impact on the child than he had had so far.  
Sparky could be a very stubborn child.

Chapter 41

Sparky began to get restless and fidgeted in the corner until he heard Adam say in a stern voice, “Sparky stand still. If you want to get out of that corner  
then I expect you to tell me so and to pick up your slate, pencil and go back to work working on writing your letter ‘A’”

Sparky stood still. He didn’t want to go back to that writing thing.

Adam sighed. He saw the boy was going to be very stubborn about it. He glanced over at his father sitting at his desk working on paper work and got no clue  
from that quarter as how to handle this from here.

Little Joe sat back in his chair and Adam noticed. “Are you done with your assignment Little Joe?”

“Yes Adam.”

Adam went over and looked at the work Little Joe had completed. He had done a good job and had answered the questions correctly. “Little Joe, you  
have done a very good job. You can take a break and play for a while.”

“Thanks Adam.”

Sparky hearing this and seeing Little Joe getting to play began to cry. “Adam, I want to play too!” Sparky wailed.

“You can get to play when you’ve done your work. I told you that before Sparky.”

“But I don’t want to write anymore!”

“Then you don’t get to play. You get to stay in the corner.”

“You’re being mean! I’m going to tell Papa!”

“Nicky, Pa put me in charge. He‘s not going to like the way you’re behaving. Now stay in the corner.”

“No! I won’t! “  
Sparky stomped his feet and jumped up and down wailing as loudly as he could having a full blown temper tantrum.

Ben glanced up, but stayed where he was allowing Adam to handle the situation.

Adam ignored the little boy. Hoss and Little Joe had headed upstairs to get away from the   
noise. Ben had gotten up and went into the kitchen for a cup of  
coffee and to also get away from the loud wailing.

“What going on?”

“Sparky and Adam are locking horns. Sparky is having a full blown temper tantrum and Adam will need to handle it.”

“What Adam doing?”

“Right now he’s trying to ignore it. I think Sparky will escalate it.”

“What Mr. Ben mean?”

“I mean he’s going to get worse before he gets better.”

“Adam spank little boy?”

” Maybe, but I don’t want to be around if it comes to that. I told Adam that he couldn’t spank him, only I could. If I’m not there, then he will do it if he feels it is needed knowing he has my permission so to say.”

Adam just sat there ignoring Sparky wailing and stomping. As long as the little boy still stayed in the corner and didn’t do anything to hurt himself or  
to destroy anything, he was just going to allow the little boy to carry on until he tired himself out.  
When Adam glanced up and caught a movement out of the corner of his eye and saw reflected in the mirror the little boy with a chunk of wood from the wood  
box in his hand Adam said quietly and firmly. “Nicholas if you don’t want me to give you a bare bottom spanking with that piece of wood you have in your  
hand I suggest you put it back in the wood box. Don’t ever think of throwing that at me or anywhere else little boy again.”

Sparky was so surprised at Adam’s words that he dropped the piece of wood back into the box. He wondered how Adam knew what he had done. He hadn’t even  
been looking at him.

Adam faced the little boy then.

“Nicholas, come here.” Adam indicated a spot right in front of him. Sparky went and stood where Adam told him.

“Nicholas, look at me.”

Sparky looked up into the disappointed eyes of his oldest brother.

“I want you to pick up your slate and pencil, sit down and go back to work on your letter.” Adam said quietly but firmly to the boy. “If you don’t do  
your work little boy I will be turning you over my knee and giving you a spanking and you will then sit down again and do your work is that clear?”

“Yes Adam.”

“Good. Now pick up your slate and pencil and get back to work.”

Sparky picked up his slate and pencil and sat back down at his chair and went back to work on his letter.

Ben hearing things quiet again wondered what had transpired. He had not heard a spanking being administered and when he went back to his desk saw his five-year-old  
sitting on his chair and doing writing on his slate. He just smiled to himself. Two stubborn sons was going to make life interesting around here for  
awhile.

Little Joe and Hoss hearing quiet from downstairs ventured back down the stairs. Adam said, “Little Joe, I have some other work I’d like you to work on  
now.”

“Yes Adam.” Little Joe sat down and Adam gave him some arithmetic problems to work out.

After a little while Sparky put down his pencil and stretched his little hand. It was cramping up and hurting, but Adam didn’t say anything. The child  
could rest as long as he didn’t leave his seat or throw a tantrum.

Adam went over to Sparky to see what he had accomplished. He had filled about half his slate. He wouldn’t release the child for any play time until he had  
covered the slate with the letter as he had instructed him to do.

“You’ve been working hard on this Sparky. It is looking pretty good. When you’ve filled your slate you will be allowed some time to play then.”

“Okay Adam.”

Sparky had not finished his writing assignment when Hop Sing called them all to lunch.

Sparky ate a few spoonsful of his soup and one section of his sandwich and looked at Ben. “Papa?”

“Yes Sparky?”

“May I be excused so I can go play?”

“No. You have hardly eaten anything of your lunch little boy.”

“But Papa, I’m not hungry!”

“Nicky, I’m not going through this every meal with you little boy. You eat all of your soup and another piece of your sandwich and then we’ll see if you  
may be excused from the table.”

Sparky gave a big sigh and sulked and pouted. Adam eyed the little boy from across the table and Sparky refused to look at him.

Ben was frustrated with his little son. He was being stubborn and frustrating. “Nicky, eat your lunch.”

“My soup is cold.”

“I can have Hop Sing heat it up for you.”

“No, I don’t want any more.”

“Then eat your sandwich.”

“No, I’m not hungry.”

“Then you will not be excused from the table. You will leave the table when Adam is ready to resume your school lessons.”

The little mite’s reaction surprised everyone. Sparky picked his almost full bowl of soup up and flung it at Adam spilling soup across the length of the table  
Then he picked up the pieces of his sandwich and flung them at Ben and screamed. “I don’t want to eat! I don’t want to go to school! I won’t do any  
more of that stupid writing! I won’t! I won’t! I won’t!” Then he jumped down from his chair charged up the stairs and slammed the door to his room.

Everyone was stunned at the devastation reeked by the little tornado that had just left the table.  
Ben got up and calling Hop Sing in to help clean up the mess the child had created went over to Adam. “Are you all right son?”

“I’m okay Pa, just a little messy.”

Ben glanced up the stairs. He had no idea how he was going to handle this. Obviously something had upset the child so much that he had had this very strong  
Over reaction. None of his other boys had ever done anything close to this before. He was certain it was more than just misbehavior. There had to be more to this than  
that.

Ben decided to give his little one time to himself before he went up to talk to him.

Sparky flung himself down on his bed, kicking and punching, he cried for all he was worth. When he was spent he sat up dejected and now the tears just coursed  
down his little face. He climbed down from is bed and crawled underneath it curling up as far underneath as he could get.

When Ben came up to tend to his little boy he saw the bed mussed up and no little boy in sight. Ben was worried now. Where had the child disappeared to? He checked  
the window, but there were no little footprints in the snow on the roof to indicate he had gone out his window. He checked the armoire and he wasn’t hiding in  
there. Ben stood in the middle of the room and then a thought occurred to him and he scrunched down onto the floor and saw his child hiding under the bed.  
“Sparky, son, please come out of there.”

Sparky didn’t move.

“Do I have to get Hop Sing’s broom and sweep you out from under there like he did that one time you wouldn’t come out from under the bed?”

Sparky decided he didn’t want that to happen so he scooted slowly out from under the bed on the other side of it so that if his father tried to get to him  
he could scoot quickly under there again.

‘I think I’m in big trouble and Papa is going to spank me good for what I did downstairs.’

Ben held out his arms to the littlest Cartwright. “Sparky, boy, come to Papa.”

Sparky didn’t budge. He looked at Ben warily.

“Come on boy, Papa just wants to talk to you.”

Sparky refused to budge. Ben came around to Sparky’s side of the bed and when he got close to the boy Sparky quickly dived under the bed again.

Ben sighed. He didn’t know what to do now. He was tempted to reach under the bed, grab the boy by whatever part of his body he could, drag him out from under the bed and spank his little backside  
hard, but understood that was not what the boy needed right now. When Ben scrunched down and saw the child under there again he tried to reach out to him.

This time Sparky scooted quickly out from the other side of the bed and made a mad dash for the door.

At that moment Adam opened the door and was almost bowled over by the child. Adam scooped up the little boy into his arms and Sparky fought Adam, trying  
to bite, scratch and kick for all he was worth.

This was all so reminiscent of Sparky’s early days with the family when he would fly into these temper rages

Ben came over and containing the child sat on the bed with him still struggling until the little boy wore himself out and stopped his struggling, just kept  
on crying.

“Shh… Shh…” Ben soothed. He scooped up the child and sitting in the rocking chair in the corner of the room rocked him until he fell asleep.

Chapter 42

Adam watched his father and brother and felt very sad. Ben noticed. “Adam, this is not your fault son and I want you to understand that.”

“Pa, did I put too much pressure on him? Is this why he did that little scene downstairs?”

“Adam, you didn’t put any more pressure on him, in fact even less than if he’d have been in the schoolroom with Miss Jones. She would have ended up paddling him  
hard.”

“Pa, what are we going to do? He’s going to have to go to school some time.”

“Miss Travis had a very good idea and perhaps we need to work with it. She told me the very first time she had him in the classroom that we should introduce  
Sparky to the schoolroom situation slowly, increasing the time he spends at school a little at a time. We just expected him to be able to cope with long  
periods of school because he is at home, not in the schoolhouse. Apparently she was right and it has nothing to do with school itself, but rather his  
ability to tolerate in activity and the demands of him in that regard. We will continue to have school here at home, but with shorter times of work and  
inactivity. We can gradually increase these until he can tolerate at least a half day of school.”

“Thanks Pa. That sounds good.”

Later that night Sparky didn’t go out to the barn like he usually did and didn’t crawl up on Blaze’s stall as had been his habit with Adam. Adam felt a  
bit sad at this. He had enjoyed this little ritual between them.

The next morning Little Joe woke and went in to help Sparky with his water so he could wash and get dressed. “Sparky, are you okay today?”

“I guess so Little Joe. I don’t want to do that school stuff again.”

“I don’t think we have a choice Sparky.”

“Little Joe?”

“What Sparky?”

“You were right.”

“Right about what?”

“About school. It’s an awful thing to have to do.”

‘Oh no, the little mite hasn’t even attended real school for more than a few days and already he hates school. I don’t like it, but I get the feeling that  
the little mite hates it worse than I do.’

“Sparky, you might not like it, but it’s important to go to school and learn the things we need to know.”

“Why?”

“Because if we don’t know how to read, write and to do arithmetic people can take advantage of you. They can cheat you out of money, can take your land  
or your home and you wouldn’t even know it until it was too late and you couldn’t do anything about it.”

“Someone could take away Papa’s house?”

“If Pa didn’t know how to do these things yes.”

“Little Joe, I don’t want anyone to take away Papa’s house.”

“Then you need to learn your lessons Sparky.”

“But Little Joe, I don’t like them.”

“Neither did Hoss and neither do I, but I know it’s important to learn and so I do it anyway.”

“Why?”

“Well… partly because I don’t want to be taken advantage of and partly if I don’t Pa will spank me.”

Sparky’s eyes rounded and widened at this. “Papa will spank you for not learning?”

“Uh huh. He wants me to learn everything I can. Sometimes it’s fun, but sometimes I get bored. I try my best and that’s all Pa expects. He expects you  
to behave well in school. If you get spanked in school, he’ll spank you when you get home. If you get a note home from school from the teacher, you’ll  
get spanked.”

“Just like when I was at the mine school. Miss Travis spanked me for fighting and sent a note back with me to Mr. Walker. He spanked me for the note and for fighting in school because papa told him to.”

“Yes Sparky, like that.”

“Do you get in trouble like that in school Little Joe?”

“Sometimes, but not very often. Miss Jones swats you with a paddle and she swats real hard and it hurts a lot. Then Pa spanks you on top of that. I don’t  
like that very much so I try not to do things that will earn me a spanking in school. I get notes home and that is bad enough because Pa will spank me  
for that.”

“Yes, I remember him doing that to you.”

“Well, we’d better go down and get to our chores now.”

The two little boys went down and out to the barn.

Sparky saw Adam there and didn’t climb on the stall as was usual for him. He avoided him instead and Adam was feeling hurt by this. He missed their little  
ritual and just watched that the little boy didn’t get underfoot.

Later Sparky, Little Joe and Adam worked on school lessons. Adam had Sparky writing the letter “B” after showing it to him in the book with the picture of  
a bird. He went back to the letter “A” and asked Sparky to tell him what the letter was and Sparky was able to tell him that the word “apple” began with  
the letter “A”. This time Adam watched Sparky working diligently on writing the letter “B”. When he saw the little boy put down his pencil and rub his  
hand he said, “Sparky, you look like you’ve been working pretty hard on this letter. Would you like to go play for a while?”

Sparky looked up at his big brother. “You really mean it Adam? I don’t have to write this anymore?”

“I want you to write the letter more, but I think because you’ve been working so hard that you deserve some playtime as a reward. When I call you back  
I want you to write the letter some more okay?”

“Okay Adam.”

Sparky went over and played with his toys for a while. Adam reviewed Little Joe’s arithmetic problems and helped him with correcting the ones he got wrong.

Once he was done with this he gave Little Joe some off time and called Sparky to him. He set him back down to copying his letter again. This seemed  
much more successful. Sparky wasn’t so stressed and was cooperative when it came time for lunch. He ate two pieces of his sandwich and most of his soup.

After lunch Adam told Sparky he could play for the rest of the day. Sparky was glad he didn’t have to do school work for the rest of the day.

The next several days went on like this with Adam only having Sparky work in the mornings with frequent playtime breaks and working hard with Little Joe  
on his lessons so he wouldn’t get behind.

Adam was still sad that Sparky wouldn’t play with him anymore. “Pa?”

“Yes Adam?”

“Can I talk to you?”

“Of course son, what is it?”

“I don’t think Sparky likes me anymore.”

“What makes you say that?”

“He never climbs up on Blaze’s stall anymore and wait for me to take him down. I miss that time we had together and our little ritual.”

“Hmm… I hadn’t noticed. When did this begin?”

“The evening we had our first school lesson and he had that really terrible tantrum and he threw his soup bowl at me.”

“Have you talked about it?”

“No.”

“Maybe you need to.”

“Do you think he’s worried about it?”

“I don’t know Adam. I think this is something you as brothers need to work out between you.”

“Yes Pa, but how do I talk to him?”

“Just as you would any of your other brothers. Find out what he needs from you or you need from him to repair your relationship.”

“Okay Pa, I’ll do that.”

Chapter 43

Adam sought out Sparky after supper. The little boy was playing with his blocks stacking them and knocking them over noisily. Adam recognized that Sparky  
was again playing more violently with his toys. He hadn’t done that in some time. After Sparky knocked down his stack once more Adam walked over and picked  
him up and hugged him.  
“Hey Sweet Pea, how about I put you in your wagon and take you for a ride?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t want you to.”

“Sparky, I think you and I need to have a little talk.”

Sparky eyed his big brother. He had a worried look on his face. He didn’t want to have a “little talk” with Adam. His spankings hurt. He also didn’t  
know what he did, or maybe it was for him throwing his soup bowl at Adam that day. Adam hadn’t spanked him for it and neither had Pa for throwing his sandwich at him.

Adam saw the worried look and wondered what it meant. He smiled at his little brother and said, “Come on Sparky, why don’t we go out to the barn where we won’t be disturbed.”

Sparky was really worried now. Adam was going to spank him in the barn? Only his big brothers got spanked in the barn and then Pa used a strap on their  
bottom. Was Adam going to spank him with a strap? Would Papa let him?

Adam took Sparky by the hand and led him out to the barn. Once inside the warm building he picked up his little brother and sat him on a stack of hay bales  
so he could look him in the eye.  
“Sparky, look at me.”

Sparky looked at his big brother and Adam saw trepidation in his little brother’s eyes and wondered at it.  
“Sparky, what’s wrong?”

“What do you mean Adam?”

“You and I haven’t been the same with each other lately.”

Sparky looked away from Adam at that. “Sparky, please look at me when I’m talking to you.”

The little boy bravely looked at his brother.  
“Adam?” Sparky started hesitantly.

“Yes Sweet Pea?”

“Are you going to spank me?” Sparky asked in a very small voice with tears welling in his large grey eyes.

Adam was shocked.

‘Spank the little mite? What for?’

“No Sparky. Why would you think I wanted to spank you?”

“Well, when Papa tells me he wants to have a little talk with me it usually means he is going to spank me.”

“No Sweet Pea, I didn’t mean that at all. I meant we need to talk about what is going on between us.”

“You’re not going to spank me with a strap?”  
Again Adam was shocked. The thought had never crossed his mind. “Sparky, why would I do something like that?”

“When Papa wants to talk to you, Hoss or Little Joe in the barn he usually tans you with the strap and it hurts real bad. Are you going to do that?  
To me?”

Adam picked up the little mite and hugged him tight. “Sweet Pea, I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m not going to spank you, no less with a strap. You’re much too  
little for that. Pa didn’t even begin to tan Little Joe until this year and he’s seven years older than you little one.”

“Oh. I thought that because I was so bad and threw my soup bowl at you and my sandwich at Papa you were going to spank me with a strap for that.”

Adam felt terrible. He had never meant to make the little boy think he was going to hurt him that way. “Sparky, listen to me. I won’t ever spank you  
that way until you are much older, then only if Pa isn’t around and then if you have done something to really deserve it. I don’t hardly ever tan Hoss  
or Little Joe. In fact, I have only tanned Hoss once in his life and Little Joe I haven’t tanned at all.”

“Really?”

“Really. I leave that punishment for Pa to take care of. I’ll spank you if you need it and you know that.”

“Yes Adam.”

“Good. Enough talking of spankings and tannings. I want to talk about us little brother.”

“What about us Adam?”

“Why don’t you climb up on Blaze’s stall any more when I’m in the barn?”

“I was afraid you’d really spank me because you were mad at me for throwing my soup at you.”

“Hmm… I see.”

“Adam, I’m sorry for doing that.”

“I know you are baby. I want you to tell me why you threw your soup at me, your sandwich at Pa and were going to throw that piece of wood you had picked up from the wood box by the fireplace in the great room at me.”

Sparky looked down at his shoes. 

“Sparky, look at me please.”

Sparky raised his large grey eyes that were filled with tears. “I was mad at you Adam because you wouldn’t let me play. You wanted me to make that letter  
‘A’ and it hurt my hand.”

“Sparky, if you had told me that instead of throwing a tantrum, throwing down your slate and pencil, throwing your food at Pa and me and almost throwing that piece of wood at me, maybe I would have understood.”

“Yes Adam.”

Adam sat on the hay bale and gathering his little brother into his lap hugged him and said, “Sparky you have to tell me when things are bothering you. I can’t help you if I don’t know what’s going on. I’ve missed our little time with you climbing on Blaze’s stall and me giving you a swat as that is something special that has been between you and me for a long time now. You know I don’t really give you a hard swat, just hard enough to give you a little sting.

You always give me a mischievous grin and we’re okay.”

“I miss that too Adam.”

“Then we can go back to being brothers with each other again?”

“Do you forgive me for throwing my soup at you?”

“Yes, but if you ever do it again I will spank you. Not with a strap though.”

“Okay Adam. I love you.” Sparky threw his arms around Adams neck and Adam hugged the little boy hard. Then when they were feeling warm all the way through  
with each other Adam grinned at Sparky and flipping him over his knee gave him five hard swats.

“Adam! You said you weren’t going to spank me for throwing my soup at you!”

“Yes, I did say that. I didn’t spank you for throwing your soup at me. I spanked you for hurting my feelings and not talking to me.”

“Oh.” Sparky said rubbing his bottom and then he gave Adam his little small shy smile.

Adam hugged the child to his heart and knew they were good again. Sparky didn’t give that small shy smile to just anyone and he didn’t give it very often either.  
That was what made it extra special.

Tousling his hair Adam let Sparky down and went to tend to some of his evening chores early. 

Sparky climbed up on Blaze’s stall. Adam grinned as he saw it and pretended for a moment to not see him up there. Then he strode over there, plucked him up off the wall and said in a stern tone, “You know little one you’re not supposed to be up there?”

“Yes Adam.”

Adam gave him a stinging swat and on top of the other ones he had already given Sparky caused the littlest Cartwright to yelp, then give his big brother  
a big grin.

When Sparky and Adam came back to the house Ben looked up to see that the boys had apparently worked out the situation between them. Adam was carrying  
Sparky and Sparky looked very happy. Adam too looked happy as well.

Chapter 44

Sparky worked hard under Adam’s tutelage and was able to recognize all his letters. Adam had taught him a tune to go along with the letters so he could remember them all. They would sing it together whenever they could. Then Adam began to have Sparky spell the words for each object in the alphabet book.  
Apple, Bird, Cat, Dog, Egg, Fly, Goat, House, Ink, Jar, Kite, Log, Mama, nail, Owl, Papa, Quail, Road, Stone, Tub, Urn, Valley, Wood, Axe for X, Yarn, and Zebra.

 

“Adam?”

“Yes Sparky?”

“Why does this horse have black and white stripes?”

“That’s not exactly a horse, but a Zebra.”

“It looks like a hoarse Adam.”

“I know. It’s similar to a horse, but it isn’t exactly one. Kind of like the difference between a mule and a donkey. They look similar, but are different.”

“Oh.”

Adam tousled Sparky’s hair. “You sure are full of questions little one.”

“Is that bad Adam?”

“No, that’s very good Sparky. It’s how you learn things.”

“Then I can ask lots of questions?”

“Most children your age do.”

“Good. Adam, I have lots of questions. Should I ask you?”

Adam smiled. “Yes, or Pa, Hop Sing, Hoss or Little Joe.”

“I can ask everyone and they will know the answers?”

Adam laughed. “Well… maybe not all of them, but a lot of them.”  
Adam had no idea he had opened a Pandora’s box. The littlest Cartwright certainly had lots of questions and didn’t stop asking them from morning to night.

Sparky was sitting on top of Blaze’s stall wall and when Adam came over to pluck him off the wall and administered a stinging swat to his backside Sparky asked, “Adam?”

“Yes Sparky?”

“Why does my bottom hurt when you smack it?

Adam grinned. “I’m not sure Sparky. Doc Martin says there things called nerves in your body and they tell you when there is pain.”

“How do they do that?”

“I’m not sure anyone knows the answer to that one yet.”

“Oh.”

“Adam?”

“Yes?”

What makes little boys grow into big boys?”

“Time, good food and lots of love and discipline.”

“How much time? What’s discipline?”

“Well, each year that passes you will grow a little more, so it takes a long time to grow, about twenty-one years I guess. I’m twenty-one and I think I’m still growing. Discipline is making sure you learn to behave well by providing punishment for poor choices or poor behavior.”

“Like being spanked for doing things you’re not supposed to do or if you don’t do the things you’re supposed to do?”

“Yes.”

Sparky thought about this for a while. Adam was glad the little boy had stopped asking questions. He sure could ask some tough ones. 

Hoss looked at the littlest Cartwright. He sure was a little thing. He hadn’t grown much since coming to the family. He had filled out some, become sturdy and strong, but not in stature. He still had to sit on a cushion to eat at the table and wore out his clothes before he outgrew them. He was so cute, but he had a temper. Hoss thought about this. He had had a temper and because of being so big he had had to curb his temper so he wouldn’t hurt anyone. This little mite had a bad temper too and needed to learn not to pick fights to prove he was a big person. They had that in common. Maybe this could be an opportunity for him and his brother to connect. 

“Sparky, come over here. I’d like to talk to you.”

Sparky ran over to Hoss and he scooped up the tiny boy and put him up on a bale of hay so they could be at eye level. This meant that Sparky was up pretty high because Hoss was pretty tall. 

“What do you want to talk about Hoss?”

“Your temper.”

“Oh. Am I in trouble Hoss?”

“Naw, at least not yet.”

Hoss looked at the little boy and asked, “Do you think I have a temper Sparky?”

“You Hoss? Uh uh.” 

“What would you say if I told you you were wrong and I have a very bad temper?”

“Hoss, how could you have a temper? You never get mad, raise your voice or do anything that shows you have a temper.”

“Well little one, when I was your age I did have a temper.”

“You did?”

“Uh huh.”

“What happened to it? I mean your temper?”

“I learned how to control it.”

“How did you do that?”

“Well… with help from Pa and Little Joe’s Mama, Marie.”

“How did they help you?”

“Well, sometimes they talked to me, making me think about what I had done and sometimes they spanked me and then made me think about what I had done.”

“Did you start fights Hoss?”

“Sometimes. That’s when I usually got a spanking.”

“Oh.”

“Sometimes I just got into fights because some kid thought that just because I was a big kid they had to prove they could beat me up and make themselves feel better.”

“Why would they do that Hoss? You’re so big you could beat them in no time flat.”

“Well… if they thought they could beat me up that would make them be popular in school and make me look foolish.”

“I don’t like kids to call me a baby Hoss. Just because I’m little doesn’t mean that I’m a pushover.”

“Sparky, just because you’re little kids you’re going to think that. Just like Ricky pushing you down all the time. For a big kid like that you are exactly that a pushover. He can push you over easily because of his size and because of your size.”

“But Hoss, I don’t like that!”

“I know Sparky. Think about how you got your nickname of Sparky.”

“Because I fought Papa the first time we met.”

“Yes, and you haven’t quit fighting since.”

“But Hoss, I don’t want anyone to think I’m a coward!”

“I know that Sparky. Do you know what Hoss means?”

“Yes, Papa explained it to me, it means a big friendly man.”

“I didn’t get that name because I fight people all the time Sparky.”

“But Hoss, you don’t have to fight. If someone gives you a hard time you can just pick them up and dump them in the horse trough or something. I’ve seen you do that in town sometimes to a bully.”

“Yes, but it wasn’t always like that. Would you believe me if I told you that Adam and I used to fight all the time?”

“Really?”

“Yep.”

“I bet Pa didn’t like that.”

“No, he didn’t and spanked both Adam and I for it several times.”

“Why did you fight Adam Hoss?”  
“Because we were brothers and he was the older one and tried to be too bossy with me and I didn’t like it. Sometimes he would hurt my feelings and I would fight with him just because I knew I could lick him.”

“Can you lick Adam still Hoss?”

“Uh huh.”

“Wow.”

“I wouldn’t do that to Adam any more unless it was a real serious situation. Pa wouldn’t like it and we don’t like getting tanned for fighting.”

“Papa still tans you for fighting?”

“Yep.”

“Hoss, what do you do when someone calls you names?”

“I just don’t pay any attention to it. It isn’t worth hurting for.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well Sparky when you have gotten into fights you end up with a black eye or a cut or something that hurts don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Well, you haven’t really experienced it yet, but when you end up with a very sore bottom to go along with all the other hurts you find it really isn’t worth all the pain.”

“Hoss it hurts when Papa spanks me.”

“Yes, but not as much as if he uses the hairbrush, a switch or his belt on your bare bottom. Believe me, it’s not a fun experience when those things happen.”

“It doesn’t sound like it. What do you do now Hoss that helps you to not fight with someone who calls you names?”

“I just don’t pay it any mind.”

“How did you get the kids and other people to stop calling you names?”

“By being myself and showing people who I really am, a kind gentle man who loves people. I’m not a coward Sparky and if someone hits me first I’m not above hitting them back or if they threaten my family I’m also not above protecting them if I have to.”

“But Hoss I really hate it when they call me a baby.”

“I really hate it when people call me a big dumb old ox too.”

Sparky’s eyes widened and rounded. Hoss, no one would dare to call you that!”

“Well, when I was growing up they did.”

“That’s mean! I’d have busted them one for saying that.”

Hoss laughed. “I know you would. That’s why we’re having this little talk.”

“You mean you wouldn’t want me to bust them one?”

“Yes. There are better ways of handling people like that Sparky.”

“What ways Hoss?”

“Well, if you ignore a bully and make friends with people who accept you for who you are they too will stick up for you and eventually the bully will be the one who no one likes and no one will be friends with.”

“Hoss, are you saying that if I fight with people they won’t like me?”

“Yes Sparky. No one likes a kid who fights all the time.”

“But Gregory and Christopher like me.”

“Only after you both got into trouble for having the fight and ended up being spanked.”

“Oh yeah, huh.”

“Uh huh.”

“I hadn’t thought of that Hoss. Gregory’s father and Papa spanked each of us after we had the fight. If we both hadn’t been rubbing our bottoms and apologized to each other we probably wouldn’t have been friends. It was the same with Christopher. The day after the fight he told me his father had spanked him and Mr. Walker had spanked me too and we both had to deal with a sore bottom.”

“Yes, it was that and the fact that you apologized to each other that made you become friends. Not the fight itself.”

“Hoss, how do you make friends with other kids?”

“Well now… like I said, you be yourself. You smile at other kids and try to find something you both like and that helps.”

“Like what kind of things Hoss?”

“Well, like fishing, catching frogs, swimming, horses, things like that.”

“I think I understand Hoss.”

“Good, I hope you do little one.”

Chapter 45

Sparky thought about what Hoss had told him for a bit. Hoss could see him thinking and smiled. He was glad that maybe he had set the little boy thinking and he wouldn’t be so quick to start a fight.

“Hoss?”

“Yes Sparky?”

“If I have trouble with other kids can we talk some more?”

“Yep.”

“Good. Hoss, I love you.” Sparky reached up and hugged Hoss around the neck and 

Hoss picked up the little mite and hugged him snugly then patted his backside. He grinned at the littlest Cartwright and tickled him and tossed him up in the air until he laughed and giggled. Then Hoss gave him some more love pats on his bottom and set him down.

“Hoss?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks for talking to me Hoss.”

“You’re welcome little one.”

Adam continued to work with Sparky with his letters, words and numbers. When Little Joe was able to go back to school Adam still worked with Sparky. He worked with him for short periods of time and found that this indeed helped tremendously. He learned quite a bit in shorter periods of time than longer ones. The child was learning to pick out words in his primer books. Adam began having Sparky read him stories out of his primer, helping him to sound out the words and his reading skills jumped by leaps and bounds. 

As Adam predicted his little brother after struggling through learning his letters and recognizing words began to like to read. He asked questions about the pictures in his books and Adam answered them to the best of his ability. The little boy was able to work out simple arithmetic problems too. He also began to be able to write for longer periods of time and his letters were becoming well-formed and quite legible. 

One day Sparky was testing the limits with Adam. “No Adam! I want to read my story! I don’t want to do the arithmetic problems!”

“Nicky, you do the assignments I give you to do.”

“No! I want to read! I don’t want to do any old Arithmetic! I like to read better than doing that boring Arithmetic!”

“Okay Nicky, it’s about time you experienced a common punishment in the school room for poor behavior.”

Sparky came up short. What did Adam mean?

Adam wrote on the top of Sparky’s slate in block letters, “I will do the lessons I am told to do.” Adam then numbered 1-10 down the side of the slate. “You will write this sentence ten times on your slate Sparky. If you don’t do it I will stand you in the corner. You will then have another opportunity to write your sentences. If you still don’t do it I will take you over to Pa and tell him how you have been behaving and he will spank you.”

Sparky looked at Adam stunned. Sentences? He had never had to write sentences before. 

Adam looked at the little mite. He smiled to himself at the stunned expression on his little face. “You had better get busy before I stand you in the corner.”

Sparky began to write the sentence Adam had written at the top of his slate. He didn’t want to stand in the corner and then have to do this or end up over Papa’s knee either.   
When he had copied it five times he stretched out his little hand. “Adam, my hand hurts.”

“You may rest it for a little bit, but you will stay in your chair and not leave it until you finish the rest of your sentences Do you understand?”

“Yes Adam.” Sparky said unhappily. 

Ben came into the room and seeing Sparky looking very unhappy walked over to see what was the matter. “Sparky, you look unhappy. What’s going on?”

“Papa, Adam is making me write sentences.”

Ben raised an eyebrow. He looked at the child’s slate and saw the sentence he had been writing. He smiled to himself.   
“Have you not been doing the work Adam asked you to do?”

“Mostly, but I wanted to read instead of doing my arithmetic.”

“I see. Well Young man, you had better finish writing your sentences.”

“Yes Papa.”

When Sparky had completed his sentences Adam looked them over. “Very good Sparky. The next time you don’t do the lessons I tell you to do you will find yourself writing these sentences more than ten times understand?”

“Yes Adam, I’ll be good. I don’t like writing sentences. That’s boring.”

“Okay, then let’s get to your arithmetic.”

Ben had to hide a grin. Poor Sparky. Adam was a tough teacher, but not nearly as tough as facing Miss Jones will be in the fall and the boy needed to be able to hold his own in the schoolroom both socially as well as academically. 

Sparky holding one of his little story books sought out Adam. It was another snowy afternoon. Little Joe had been able to go to school despite the weather.  
Ben and Hoss had gone out on the range to care for the cattle. Adam had been made to stay in by Hop Sing because he had been running a fever and coughing  
and sniffling. Adam hated being sick. Hop Sing had allowed him to sit by the fire as long as he didn’t do anything strenuous.

“Adam?”

“Yes Sparky?”

“Are you feeling better?”

“Yes, I am little one, thank you for asking.”

“I want to read a story to you so you will feel better.”

“Okay, come on up here.”

Adam took the little mite onto his lap and Sparky opening his book began to read to his oldest brother. Adam had been encouraging this and the little boy was getting  
very good at reading. When he was finished he put his little book down. He looked at the book his brother had put aside.

“Adam?”

“Yes little one?”

“May I read this book to you?”

Adam smiled. He had been reading about Robin Hood and Sherwood Forrest. “Sure Sparky, you can try to read this book to me.”

The little mite picked up the book. He noticed there were no pictures. “Adam, there aren’t any pictures in this book. How do you know what the story?  
will be about?”

“Through the words written there. I can use my imagination to see the pictures. I make up the pictures in my mind.”

“How do you do that?”

“Well… I’m not quite sure, but if we read the book maybe we can find out if you can make pictures in your head too.”

“Okay.”

Sparky opened the book to where it was marked. He began to read, “Adam?”

“Yes?”

“Is Robin Hood a bird?”

Adam smiled. “No, Robin Hood is a man.”

“Isn’t a robin a bird?”

“Yes, it is a bird to.”

“How come he’s called a bird?”

Adam grinned now. Reading with Sparky certainly was an adventure. “I’m not sure, but it is his name.”

“Oh.”  
Sparky read on sounding out the words. “What’s a friar?”

“He’s kind of like reverend Ford.”

“Oh.”  
Sparky continued on. “Adam?”

“Yes?”

“Is the sheriff of Nottingham like Sheriff Coffee?”

“Yes. He would arrest the bandits and put them in jail.”

“Did he shoot them too?”

“Yes, but not with guns.”

“How did he shoot them?”

“With arrows. Robin Hood was a very good archer.”

“What’s an archer?”

“It’s someone who shoots arrows.”

“Like the Indians?”

“Yes, like the Indians.” 

“Okay.” Sparky read on and The two spent an enjoyable afternoon together.

“Adam, how come Robin stole from the rich people?”

“Because he thought they had too much and there were a lot of people in those days who were very poor and had nothing.”

“Adam, was I poor?”

“Yes, I would say so when you lived at the Green Backs mine. You had no safe place to live, no one to look out for you and ate whatever others gave you.”

“I’m not poor now Adam, I have a nice house to live in, lots of food to eat even if I don’t always eat it all, brothers and a Papa to take care of me as  
well as Hop Sing.”

Adam hugged the littlest Cartwright. “Yes baby, you have all those things now.”

Ben came in then and smiled at Sparky sitting in Adam’s lap with a big book in his little hands and the two of them one dark and one blonde with their heads together. They were laughing and smiling.  
“How are the two of you doing?”

“Great Pa. Sparky has been keeping me entertained by reading to me.”

” Papa, Robin Hood took from the rich people and gave to the poor people who had nothing. Papa the sheriff wants to arrest him and put him in jail. How  
come he wants to do that if Robin Hood is doing something good?”

Adam rolled his eyes and was glad Sparky had asked Pa that question instead of him.

“Well Sparky, what Robin Hood was doing was still against the law. He was an outlaw and it was the sheriff’s job to enforce the law.”

“But Papa, it wasn’t right that one person has everything and another person has nothing. They should share!”

“Well Sparky you are right and that was what Robin Hood was trying to do, make things more fair for everyone. To do that though he had to break the law.  
If he got caught, he would have to pay the penalty.”

“You mean go to jail?”

“Yes, or worse.”

“Worse? You mean he would get tanned?”

Both Adam and Ben burst out laughing at this. Yes, to a five-year old child getting a tanning might just be worse than going to jail.

“Little boy, I think it is time for you to put up the book now and stop pestering Adam with your questions. Adam needs to take a nap before dinner.”

“Because he’s been sick Papa?”

“Yep.”

Adam gave is father a pained look. Ben gave him a no nonsense look in return. Sparky watched this exchange between his father and his eldest brother in  
wonder.

‘Papa can even make Adam behave himself with that look.’

Adam plucked the little boy up off his lap and stretched. “Well, Sparky I guess if I value my hide I had better do as Pa says and go take my nap.”

“Okay Adam, I don’t want Papa to spank you for being naughty.”

Adam chuckled and tousled the little boy’s hair as he went up the stairs to his room.

Chapter 46

“Papa?”

“Yes little one?”

“May I go out to the barn with you?”

“Sure Sweet Pea, put your coat on.”

When they went out to the barn Sparky peeked through the stall at his pony and wandered around the barn watching everyone do their chores. Ben noticed  
Sparky didn’t climb up on his pony’s stall as he was wont to do when Adam was working in the barn. He looked a bit sad.

Hoss noticed the little mite looking rather sad and went over and picked him up. “Hey little one, how would you like to sit up here high and watch old  
Hoss do his chores?”

“Okay Hoss.”

“Now you sit here understand? I don’t want to see ya standing on the hay bales. I’ll have ta turn ya over to Pa ifn ya do that understand?”

“Yes Hoss.”  
Sparky watched Hoss and Little Joe and Pa work in the barn and then he stood up on the hay bale. Hoss caught him out of the corner of his eye. “Sparky,  
I told ya not to stand on the hay bale!”

“Yes Hoss.”

Hoss plucked him up off the hay bale and handed him over to Pa. “Pa, I told Sparky not to stand on the hay bale and I saw him up there just as bold as  
ya please. I told him ifn I caught him standing up there I’d hand him over to ya.”

Ben smiled at Hoss. I’ll take care of this little mite.”  
Ben gave Sparky a stinging swat and said, “You do as Hoss tells you little boy do you hear?”

Sparky rubbed his bottom. “Yes Papa.”

‘Pa swats harder than Adam does.’

He stayed down and then wandered outside and climbed up on the corral fence. He sat there watching the horses looking rather dejected.

Ben saw him up there looking so forlorn and sad. He finished what he was doing and walked over to where the child was sitting. Even though he wasn’t  
supposed to be up there Ben just put an arm around his waist and looking into that sad little face said, “You are missing Adam and being able to play with him aren’t you Nicky?”

“Yes Papa. When will Adam be better?”

“Real soon Sweet Pea, real soon. He’s already a good deal better. You were a good boy to read to your big brother and to keep him from being lonely this  
afternoon.”

“Really?”

“Uh huh. I really like it when you work so hard on your reading and other lessons and try to take care of your brothers.”

“Papa?”

“Yes Little one?”

“Will Adam be able to stay up for a while after supper?”

“I think so, why?”

“Do you think if I tell him I was up here on the corral fence without permission he’ll swat me?”

“Not if I do.”

“Papa?”

“Yes?”

“Will you let Adam swat me instead?”

Ben chuckled and hugged the little mite swinging him up off the fence. “Okay, if that’s what you want, but be careful what you ask for little boy. You  
might just wish I had done it after all.”

Sparky just grinned at his Papa and hugged him tight. Ben held his small son reveling in his size and feeling warm inside.

When they went into the house and sat down to supper Sparky kept glancing at Adam. He wondered what the little mite had on his mind. He glanced at Pa,  
but he wasn’t giving anything away. He guessed there was something going on, but he wasn’t certain as to just what it was.

When Sparky kept playing with his food and hadn’t eaten much the child was surprised when Pa plucked him up and plopped him in Adam’s lap. “Adam, will  
you please see if you can get this little boy to eat some dinner?”

“Sure Pa.” Adam was puzzled. This was usually a Pa job. Sparky looked quite worried now.  
Adam began to feed Sparky off his plate and Sparky didn’t argue. Once Ben had thought the little boy had eaten enough he looked at the littlest Cartwright.  
“Sparky, do you need to tell Adam something?”

“Uhm… yes Papa.”

“What did you want to tell me baby?”

“Uh…Uhm… Papa caught me sitting on the corral fence.”

“I see.” Adam now had an inkling where this was heading.

“Did he spank you for it?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Uhm… I asked him not to.”

“Why?”

“I-I wanted you to do it.” Sparky said now in a small scared voice.

‘Uh oh, maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all.’

Adam hid his smile. “So, you wanted me to spank you?”

“Uhm… not really Adam, I mean… if you’re not feeling up to it.”

“Oh I think I feel well enough to swat your bottom.”

Sparky began to squirm to get down. “Uh uh little boy. You asked for this and now   
you’re going to get exactly what you asked for.”

“No Adam! I changed my mind!”

“Sorry baby, but you asked for this and now I’m going to follow through with it.”

Adam picked up the now crying boy and headed upstairs with him.

Hoss and Little Joe looked at each other then at Pa. “What is that all about Pa?”

“Well Hoss, your little brother is about to find out that he had better be careful about what he asks for. Besides, he’s been missing Adam and their little  
ritual.”

By now the whole family knew about and understood the little thing between Adam and Sparky regarding his climbing on Blaze’s stall.

Little Joe glanced up the stairs. “He’s braver than I am, that’s for sure.”

Adam closed the door to Sparky’s room and he plopped the little one right in the middle of the bed. He put on his sternest face. “Well little one, you  
want a spanking do you?”

“I don’t think so Adam. You spank hard.”

“Hmm… I believe you deserve one though.”

“Yes Adam.” Sparky looked sad now. Tears began to come down his little face. Adam   
plopped himself onto the bed and putting the little boy in his lap  
began to tickle him until he was a bundle of giggles and begged for Adam to stop.   
“Adam, stop or I’ll wet my pants!”

Adam stopped then and cuddled the little boy in his lap and arms. “You still deserve a spanking you know little boy.”

“Yes Adam.”

Adam flipped Sparky across his lap and gave him one stinging swat just like he did when he found him on Blaze’s stall and then pulled him back into his arms.

“Adam!”

“What?”

“You weren’t really going to spank me were you?”

Adam grinned. “No, but if you do climb up on the corral fence again without permission and I catch you I certainly will give you a real spanking then.”

“Okay Adam.”

“Let’s go back downstairs. I want to eat my dessert.”

“Me too!”

Adam picked up the littlest Cartwright and brought him downstairs so they could eat their dessert.

Hoss and Little Joe looked at Adam and he gave a little shake of his head in the negative and they all relaxed. They were glad Adam hadn’t really spanked

the child. Adam knew that Sparky was only missing their little ritual and was now satisfied.

Chapter 47

The end of January and all of February saw an early thaw. The streams and rivers were flooding because of the unusual weather and the earlier heavy snow fall was  
melting quickly. Ben and the boys were kept busy moving the cattle to dryer ground and pulling out stuck animals as they floundered in the mud. They came home every day tired and filthy.

Adam was tired and sore after pulling out ten cows and steers that afternoon. He was caked with mud and had some bruises where he had slipped and fell into the  
muck and found a hidden rock or two. He wanted nothing more than to soak in a hot tub of water and have an early night.

Sparky climbed up onto the wall of Blazes stall. Adam quickly snitched Sparky off the wall and reprimanded him sharply. “Sparky, why do you always have  
To do that!?” Adam gave him five very hard swats spanking him for real and set him down on the ground. 

Sparky plastered his little hands to his now well warmed bottom crying real tears. He didn’t understand why Adam had done that. He never did that before and his feelings were hurt. He ran off into the house crying hard. Adam sighed. He knew he shouldn’t have done that, but he was feeling out of sorts and that had been one more thing he hadn’t wanted to deal with today.

Little Joe was in the great room when Sparky burst in crying for all he was worth. He flung his coat on the floor and his little hat onto the sideboard  
and ran up the stairs and slammed the door to his room. Little Joe wondered what had happened. He gave his little brother a few minutes and then went  
up. He knocked at the door. “Sparky? Can I come in?”  
Hearing no response Little Joe decided to go in anyway. He found Sparky curled up in a tight ball in the middle of his bed still crying hard. Little Joe shut the door, sat on the  
bed and put his hand on the child’s shoulder.  
“Shh… Shh… it’ll be all right Sparky. Tell me what happened Sweet Pea.”

Sparky ignored Little Joe in his misery.

Little Joe gathered the little tyke into his lap and hugged him. “Come on Sparky, stop crying and tell big brother what the matter is.”  
“  
A-Adam d-doesn’t l-like m-me a-any m-more!” The little tyke stuttered out through his tears.

“Oh Sparky, I’m certain that’s not true.”

“Little Joe, he spanked me for being up on Blaze’s stall. He never spanks me for that!” Sparky wailed.

Little Joe understood now. Adam had betrayed the little boy’s trust. “Sparky, I’m sure he didn’t really mean to do that. He’s been really tired lately with helping Pa with the cattle and is probably hurting as well.”

“It hurt Little Joe. He never gives me a real spanking for being on Blaze’s stall.”

“Look Sweet Pea, Adam was probably overtired and one more thing just made him snap like that. You know how when you’re overtired you either have a tantrum  
or get really naughty and Pa has to put you to bed.”

“Yes Little Joe. Is Papa going to put Adam to bed for being naughty to me?”

“I don’t think he’s going to have to Sparky. After Adam gets cleaned up and eats he will probably put himself to bed.”

“Oh.”

After Adam got out of the tub he felt really bad at how he had treated his baby brother. He didn’t deserve that spanking he had given him. When he had dressed again and was feeling a lot better he went to look for the littlest Cartwright.  
Adam found Sparky playing in the corner of the great room with his wagon and soldiers.  
“Mind if I come play with you?”

Sparky ignored Adam.

“Come on baby, talk to me. I’m really sorry for spanking you for real and yelling at you when I came home today.”  
This earned Adam a glance from those large grey eyes. He saw the hurt and disappointment in them and really felt bad. He put a hand on his little brother’s  
shoulder. “Sparky, please forgive me.”

Sparky turned to him. “Adam, you were bad to me.”  
Tears then began to fall and it broke Adam’s heart to see his baby brother so sad.

“Look Sparky, if it would make you feel better you can ask Pa to spank me for being so mean to you.”

This got a response from the little boy. “Adam, you’re  
too big to be spanked.”

“Not in Pa’s eyes.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

Sparky looked into his brother’s eyes and thought for a moment. “You should be punished for hurting me Adam.”

“You’re right Sparky. What do you think my punishment should be?”

Sparky had to think about this. He had never had to punish anyone before.  
“Your punishment will be that you have to tell Papa what you did to me and then take whatever punishment papa gives you.”

Adam was surprised. ‘Tell Pa what he had done to Sparky? That wasn’t going to be easy. He had hoped they could settle this between them without getting  
Pa involved. He hadn’t had to confess a wrongdoing to Pa in a long time. This had turned out to be a bit more than he had expected. He couldn’t back out  
now. Boy had he sunk himself. Him and his brilliant ideas.’

“Okay Sparky. I’ll tell Pa. You had better come with me though.”

“Why?”

“I’m nervous about what Pa might say to me or do to me.”

“Really Adam?”

“Uh huh.”

“Well, then I’ll go with you, but you’ll have to do the talking.”

Adam groaned. This was getting worse and worse.

They sought out Pa who was lying down in his bedroom. Adam gently knocked at his door hoping his father was asleep and he could put this off and convince Sparky  
to find a punishment for him himself. Pa called “Come in.”

When Ben saw his tiny son pulling his eldest brother through the door and Adam having a very guilty expression on his face, he hid a grin. Something was going on between these two and it looked like he was going  
to be able to have a bit of fun. Seeing the determination on his little son’s face and the embarrassment on his eldest son’s face he hid a smile.

“Well, what is going on here?” Ben said with a stern look on his face.

“Papa, Adam came to confess to you.”

Ben quirked an eyebrow at his eldest son. “What did Adam do that he needs to confess to me Sparky?”

“Adam will have to tell you Papa. I told him that his punishment was that he had to tell you what he did to me and accept whatever punishment you gave him.”

Ben was laughing inside now. What kind of trouble did his oldest son get into with his youngest? He eyed Adam just like he did Sparky when he had done  
something he was not very happy with. Adam even at twenty-one still felt like five facing Pa like this. “Well Adam? What have you done?”

“I-I Uhm… I… Uh… I spanked Sparky for being up on Blaze’s stall when I haven’t given him a real spanking for that in a long time. He didn’t deserve the  
spanking Pa. He didn’t do anything that he hasn’t done before, I just yelled at him and spanked him instead of just telling him he didn’t belong up there  
and giving him his usual swat.”  
Adam hung his head totally embarrassed now. He flushed pink and didn’t look at his father.

Ben looked at his eldest son and said sternly, “Adam, look at me when I’m talking to you boy.”

“Yes sir.” Adam looked into his father’s eyes. He wasn’t quite sure what he was reading there.

“What do you have to say for yourself young man?”

“I already apologized to Sparky and asked him to forgive me. He said I had to be punished before he could forgive me.”

“Are you sorry for what you did?”

“Yes Sir. I hurt his feelings and I didn’t mean to do that.”

“Hmm… this is pretty serious son.”

“Yes Sir.” Adam squirmed. He had a feeling his father was laughing at him, but he   
didn’t look very amused.

“Hmm… Well… let’s see. You spanked your little brother unjustly and hurt his feelings too…hmm… you did apologize… How many swats did you give Sparky when you spanked him?”

“I think five. I don’t usually give him more than that when I spank him.” Adam wasn’t liking the way Pa was looking at him. 

“They really hurt too Pa. Adam spanked me hard!” Sparky chimed in. 

“Really hard eh?”

“Yes Papa.”

Adam squirmed under his father’s scrutiny. He was beginning to worry what his father would do.

“Hmmm…Sparky, do you think if I spank Adam the same way he spanked you that that would be fair?”

Adam turned beet red now.

“Papa, isn’t Adam too big to be spanked?”

Ben eyed his eldest son. “Are you too big to be spanked son?”

“Uhm… no sir.”

Ben loved to see Adam squirming. 

“Uh… Pa… you’re not really going to… I mean…” Adam couldn’t go on. 

“Well Adam, you did spank Sparky unfairly and all.”

“Yes Sir.” 

Ben looked at his little son. He was looking a bit concerned. “Sparky, come over here. You and I need to talk about Adam’s punishment. In the meantime, Adam, you may stand in the corner.”

Adam looked at his father, then saw that he was quite serious and walked over to the corner of the room Ben had indicated and stood there feeling very foolish. His face was very red too.

Chapter 48

Ben pulled Sparky into the hall and left the door just a little ajar so he could make sure Adam stayed standing in the corner. 

“Sparky, what if Adam’s punishment is that he has to play with you for an hour every night after dinner for the next week. Would that be okay?”

“Yes Papa. I’d like that. Papa? Are you going to spank Adam?”

“No, I’ll give him a couple of swats though okay?”

“Yes Papa.”

They went back into Ben’s room and he said in a very stern voice, “Adam Stoddard Cartwright you may come out of the corner now.”

Adam turned and faced Pa. 

“Your punishment is that you will play with Sparky every night after dinner for the next week.”

Adam smiled in relief. “I can do that Pa.”

“Good, now come over here son.”

Adam came slowly over to Pa and when he stood in front of him Pa turned his eldest and smacked him hard on the bottom twice. 

“Ow!”

“Do you think Adam has been properly punished now Sparky?”

“Yes Papa.” The little mite stepped up to Adam and looked him in the eye. Adam was rubbing the sting on his backside. “Adam, I forgive you for spanking me when you weren’t supposed to and for hurting my feelings. You owe me one spanking.”

Ben looked surprised. Sparky had not talked to him about this, but kept his council. The child could negotiate this one on his own.

“What do you mean Sparky?”

“The next time I deserve a spanking from you for something you will forgive that   
spanking for spanking me this time.”

Adam grinned. “You got it brother. One forgiven spanking.”

Sparky then jumped into Adam’s arms and he picked up the little mite and hugged him close. “Are we okay now?”

“Yes.”

“Now that this has been settled to everyone’s satisfaction can I get some sleep now?”

“Yes Sir, Yes Papa.”

When Adam and Sparky came back down to the great room Hoss and Little Joe were playing checkers. They had heard the two swats administered and wondered who had been the recipient. Neither of the two brothers looked unhappy so they could only guess. 

Adam played with Sparky every night after he came home for a week and Sparky and him resumed there usual relationship. Hoss and Little Joe also played with Sparky and they all grew closer. 

In early March the rains began and this just added to the flooding and misery of the ranchers and surrounding areas. 

Sparky was getting restless. Hop Sing and his father wouldn’t let him out of the house because all he did was to track mud in and out of the house. There was no good reason for him to get himself all wet and muddy. 

“Papa! I want to go outside! I’m tired of being in the house all day!”

“I’m sorry Sparky, but you have to stay in the house. It’s much too muddy for you to be outside.”

“Little Joe can go outside, why can’t I?”

“Little Joe is bigger than you little one and he has chores he needs to take care of as well.”

Sparky pouted and sulked. Ben just patted Sparky on the head and went out. 

Sparky after Little Joe had gone off to school and the rest of the family had gone out to the pastures decided he was going to slip out. He made it to the barn and climbing upon the stall wall looked down at Blaze. He looked at Blaze’s saddle on the saddle stand and tried to think of how he could get the saddle on his pony. Blaze was still too tall for him to reach his back to get the saddle onto him even if he could lift it onto his pony. He sighed. He hadn’t grown enough to make much difference. Then he saw one of the younger hands, and he went over to him.   
“Larry, Hop Sing is busy. Will you please saddle Blaze for me?”

“Sure Sparky.” Larry saddled the little pony and plunked Sparky on top. The little boy kicked his pony and headed out of the yard. 

Sparky knew how to ride up to the Silver Eagle mine and decided he’d go there and visit with Gregory and Christopher. He could be back by supper time. 

Hop Sing went into the great room to call Sparky for lunch. The little boy had been quiet and Hop Sing thought he was just sulking because he couldn’t go outside. When Hop Sing saw the room deserted he checked upstairs. Then he noticed the little one’s coat and hat missing and he looked out in the yard but saw nothing of him. He went down to the barn and Larry seeing Hop Sing said, “Hop Sing, I saddled up Sparky’s pony for you.”

“What boy mean?”

“Well… Sparky asked me to saddle his pony because you were busy in the kitchen.”

“Hop Sing busy yes, but no give little boy permission to ride pony.”

“Gee Hop Sing, I didn’t know. The way he said it I thought he had permission or I wouldn’t have saddled the pony for him.”

“Boy no allowed to ride pony alone. Where did boy go?”

“I don’t know. He didn’t say.”

“Mister Ben be upset when he come home and find little boy gone.”

“Hop Sing, I’m sorry.”

“Not your fault. Boy trick you.”

Sparky rode along the slippery muddy trail. Blaze was very sure footed and although slipped from time to time made it to the mine. 

Mike Calahan saw the littlest Cartwright ride into camp without his father. “Sparky, where’s ya Pa?”

“He’s in the north pasture.”

“What are ya doing here by yaself boy?”

“I came to visit Gregory and Christopher.”

“They’re in school right now.”

“I’ll go over to the school then.”

Mike shook his head as Sparky Guided Blaze over near the fence and slid out of the saddle, climbing down off his pony, onto the fence and then to the ground. He then tethered him to a bush near the school and went inside.

“Nicholas!”

“Hello Miss Travis. May I come in?”

“Oh yes of course.”

Sparky slid in next to Christopher. He knew enough not to talk to him until recess. 

“Sparky, what are you doing here?”

“I got bored at home and decided to come for a visit.”

Gregory came over. “Sparky where’s your Pa?”

“At home.”

“You’re here by yourself?”

“Yes.”

Gregory looked a little worried. “You had better come home with me after school lets out Sparky.”

“I was going to do that.”

Miss Travis was stunned by the progress Sparky had made in such a short time. His reading ability was superb his arithmetic skills were good and his writing had improved tremendously.

“Nicky someone has been teaching you very well.”

“My brother Adam teaches me.”

“Well, he does a very good job.”

Gregory walked Sparky to his house with Sparky Leading Blaze. Linda walked out seeing the boy and his pony. “Sparky, where is your Papa?”

“He’s at home. I thought I’d visit for a while then I’ll go home.”

Linda eyed the little boy. “Sparky, does your Papa know you are here?”

Sparky didn’t look at her. Then she knew. The little boy had come here on his own. No one at home knew he was here. Oh my gosh. What should she do? Keep him here until Ben Cartwright came for him or send him home? 

“I should spank your little bottom good Nicholas Cartwright!”

Sparky automatically put his hands behind him to cover his backside. 

“Yes, you should cover your seat little boy. If you didn’t have to ride your pony home and it was such a long way, I’d take you over my knee!”

Sparky blushed. He hadn’t expected Gregory’s mom to be upset with him and threaten to spank him. 

Linda knew she couldn’t send the child home alone and decided he had better stay where he was. She would send word to Mr. Cartwright with one of her older boys. She would send Brian to tell him where to find his child. 

“Gregory, help Sparky put up his pony.”  
Gregory helped to take the pony’s saddle off and between them they rubbed Blaze down.   
When they came into the house Linda eyed Sparky. “Young man, you will stay here until your Papa comes to fetch you. My son Brian will ride to the Ponderosa and tell him where you are.”

“But, I can ride home on my own!”

“Oh no you can’t. You’re way too young to be traipsing around the countryside all alone.”

“But Mrs. Walker, Papa will be mad!”

“Yes he will be mad. I hope he warms your bottom good when he gets you home too. You’re skating on thin ice here young man so you had better behave yourself. I won’t hesitate to get directly to the seat of the problem if you get my meaning.”

“Sparky understood very well. Mrs. Walker would give him a bare bottom spanking and it would hurt. 

Sparky kept an eye out for Ricky. He didn’t want to be pushed down and get hurt either

Chapter 49

Ben rode up into the yard along with Adam and Hoss. They were very muddy. Hop Sing met them out in the yard. Ben knew immediately there was trouble. Hop Sing looked very worried.

“Mister Ben, little boy ride off on pony. Gone this morning, not back yet.”

“What do you mean Hop Sing?”

“Little boy slip out to barn. Tell Larry to saddle pony because Hop Sing busy. Hop Sing no give permission for boy to ride. Little one know not to ride alone.”

“Don’t worry Hop Sing. we’ll find him.”

Ben had his suspicions and figured the little boy would go to the mine because that was where his little playmates lived. He turned Buck and headed down the trail. Adam and Hoss turned their mounts as well and accompanied their father 

Ben seethed. He was going to blister that little boy’s backside. He knew better than to ride off on his own.  
Adam and Hoss looked at each other. They knew Ben was very angry and they hoped he wasn’t going to be too hard on the little boy. 

Brian Walker headed toward the Ponderosa as his mother had told him. He grew a bit nervous when he saw three horses coming up the trail riding fast. When they grew closer he recognized Ben Cartwright and his two sons. 

“Hello there Mr. Cartwright, Hoss, Adam!”

“Hello there Brian. What brings you this way?”

“Ma sent me to let you know Sparky is at our house at the Silver Eagle.”

“That’s what I suspected.” Ben said darkly.

Brian thought, ‘I sure don’t want to be in that little boy’s shoes when his Pa gets there.’

“Well Sir, Ma says he showed up there about midafternoon. He went into the school house and then Gregory convinced him to come back to our house instead of trying to ride on home. Ma scolded him good too.”

“Thanks Brian, well, let’s get going.”

Ben was tired from the day’s work as were Adam and Hoss. They had not planned on making a trip to the mine as well. By the time they arrived they were all a bit disgruntled because of being tired, dirty and sore.

When Sparky heard horses outside the Walker house sooner than he had expected and saw it was his father and brothers he got scared. Papa was going to really be mad at him this time. He decided that staying in the house would be his best course of action. Maybe Papa wouldn’t scold him in front of Gregory’s mother. 

In a few moments after riding up to the Walker house Ben decided that he would deal with his little boy at home. He needed a bath and time to calm down. If he dealt with the little mite right now the child would not be able to sit his saddle for the trip home. 

Sparky had been on his best behavior since coming into the house and Linda threatening to spank him. He didn’t want a spanking for any reason, especially  
seeing his father’s face as he rode up with his brothers. He knew he wasn’t supposed to ride his pony alone and especially here to the mine. Papa had  
told him he would be spanked for both these things as well as not being able to ride Blaze for a very long time.

Ben dismounted and strode angrily toward the house. Adam placed a hand on his father’s shoulder. “Pa, be easy with him. This is the first time he has  
done anything like this. He was bound to test the limits some time and him being constricted to the house for so long has been really hard on him.”

“I understand that Adam, but what he has done was also very dangerous.”

“Yes Pa, but he has no idea of the real danger out here.”

“Well he will when I’m through with him.”

Adam backed off. He knew he had done all he could to intervene on the little mite’s behalf.

When Ben walked into the Walker house he greeted Linda Walker. “Hello Linda. Thank you for detaining my recalcitrant son. I’m sorry you had to  
put one of your own children in danger to notify me of my boy’s arrival here. He did not have permission to leave the ranch, no less come up here on his  
own.”

“I didn’t think he did and I was very sure you would have wanted to know where he was as soon as you could.”

“Yes, I did and again I thank you.”

“He has been very well behaved since he arrived.”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

Ben turned to his little son. “Nicholas, get your coat on. We’re going home. When we get there you will be going to your room and then we will talk about  
this. You young man are in for a serious spanking.”

Sparky looked up at his Papa. He seemed so large looming over him and his eyes were so angry. He shook. “Yes Papa.” Sparky said in a small voice. 

The little boy got into his coat and Ben assisted him out the door with a sharp swat to his backside. Sparky rubbed the spot. It stung. Papa had swatted him  
pretty hard and he was afraid that was just the first of many he would receive just like it. 

Tears fell down his little face as Ben plucked him up and  
put him in his saddle. Adam and Hoss had saddled up his pony for him and shook their heads sadly when they saw his tear streaked face.

They headed back toward home Sparky being sandwiched between his brothers. Adam glanced over at the little tyke and watched as he wiped his eyes and running  
nose on his sleeve.  
“Are you okay Sweet Pea?”

“Adam, Papa is really mad at me.” Sparky sniffed through his still falling tears. 

“Yes he is. You made some pretty bad choices little one.”

“Adam?”

“Yes?”

“Papa is really going to spank me isn’t he.”

“I would say that is a pretty safe bet.”

“Adam, I’m scared.”

Hoss listened to this exchange and riding Chub a little closer said, “Sweet Pea it can be kind of scary to face Pa, but if you admit to what you done wrong and  
let him know how sorry you are and that you’ll try real hard not to do something like this again it goes a long way toward getting things right between  
you and Pa again.”

“Will he still spank me Hoss?”

“Yep. I don’t think there’s any way out of that one little one.”

Sparky continued to ride dejectedly along the trail.

Ben glanced up the mountain and saw the cloud burst and hard rain up there. He was concerned about the water crossings they would have to encounter on  
the way home. He was concentrating on this when the rain began to fall in earnest, catching up to them on the trail.

Little Sparky was not prepared for this. He had no slicker or protection from the rain. Ben and the boys had their raingear and quickly slipped into it  
before they got soaked to the skin. They rode on and Ben glanced worriedly at the little mite. He was now slipping and sliding in his wet saddle and because  
he kept adjusting himself in the saddle Blaze would prance from time to time tossing his head at the unaccustomed actions of his rider. They came to one  
of the streams they needed to cross and Ben glanced down at the quickly flowing water. He glanced at his little boy adjusting himself in the saddle once  
more. Water was dripping off his little hat and his coat looked soaked through.

‘My fingers are so cold. I can’t hardly feel Blaze’s reins. My jeans are wet and I keep slipping in the saddle. My bottom and my legs are getting a little  
sore because I have to hang on so tight.’

Ben began to cross the stream. Sparky came behind and then Adam and Hoss. When they were all in the stream they were hit by an unexpected wall of water  
from upstream. Buck slipped and knocked off his feet fell into the swollen stream knocking Ben off and dumping him into the water. Blaze caught the full  
force of the wave as did Sport sending them into the cold water. Chub stumbled and Hoss too slipped from the saddle. Ben and Adam surfaced at the same  
time. Where was the little one? Adam couldn’t see for the water running in his eyes. Ben shouted, “Where’s the boy!?”

Hoss saw him downstream fighting to stay afloat. His sodden coat was trying to drag the little mite down. 

‘Where’s Papa? Where’s Adam or Hoss? I can’t stay above the water!’

“Pa! There he is!” Hoss pointed to the small head bobbing up and down in the swollen stream.

Chapter 50 

‘I shouldn’t have left the house or got Larry to saddle Blaze. That was really naughty, tricking him like that. I shouldn’t have rode up to the mine alone. I made Papa really mad by doing that. I may never see my Papa or brothers again! I may never see Hop Sing again either!’

Sparky kept being swept downstream tumbling over and over and fighting to keep his head above water. Blaze swam toward the boy and nudged him toward  
the bank. Adam and Ben stripping off their sodden coats and rain gear, ran along the bank, but the swiftly moving water kept sweeping the little boy further downstream.

Sparky found himself struggling. He was moving down the stream and he was trying to keep his head above water like Adam had taught him when he was teaching him  
How to swim. Sparky was having a hard time breathing and kept coughing up water that he was swallowing. He was getting colder and colder and he tried to grab onto anything, but his fingers were numb with cold and he didn’t have the strength to hold  
on against the swiftly flowing water. Tears came to Sparky and it made things worse. 

Adam and Ben were frustrated. The little boy was being swept more quickly downstream than they could catch up to him. Ben had tears running down his face.  
He was not going to let his child be swept away. He was not going to let this child get away from him this time like he had the last time. Blaze continued to  
swim swiftly downstream and he continued to nudge the child toward the bank. He pushed him into the bank where there were a stand of willows and Sparky  
grabbed unsuccessfully at the branches. Sparky was in a panic now. 

‘I can’t hold on! Blaze is trying to help me, but I’m so cold! ‘

Tears continued to course down the little mite’s face. Blaze stood and pinned the child there against the willow roots effectively stopping Sparky’s progress down the stream.   
Ben and Adam both got there at the same time. Ben reached down and grabbing his son  
by his sodden coat hauled him out of the water. Adam reached down, but couldn’t get Blaze’s reins. He waded carefully into the swiftly moving water and  
grabbing hold of the reins helped the animal to gain its footing and come up on the bank.

The poor little pony was tired, its breath heaving and Adam stroked him and talked quietly to him. Hoss had captured Buck and Sport and came along with  
Chub leading the other animals by their reins. He had also brought their coats, rain gear and other possessions he had rescued from the stream, as wet as they were from being dunked. 

Ben held onto his precious bundle who was now chilled through and a sodden mess. Ben’s tears mingled with the rain and he hugged the child to him fiercely.  
“Sparky, are you all right?”

The little boy still had his own tears coursing down his face. “Papa, I’m all wet!”

They all laughed at that understatement. Then Sparky let out a big sneeze and Ben knew they had to get home and the boy needed to get warm. He was going  
to be sick.

Ben mounted Buck and pulled the little mite up in front of him. Maybe his body would give him enough warmth. The child was cold as ice. His teeth chattered  
and he shivered in his sodden clothes. Ben was almost tempted to strip the little boy and cover him with a blanket, but everything had ended up sodden from their  
dunk in the stream. There was no help for it.

Adam went over to the little pony. He was looking all tuckered out. He grabbed the pony’s reins and began to slowly lead the pony and they all turned and  
continued for home.

Chapter 51

When they arrived in the yard the ranch hands and Little Joe all came to meet the sodden little party. Ben set Sparky down on the ground. Hop Sing immediately picked  
The boy up and brought him inside. He stripped off all his clothes right there in the kitchen and toweled him dry in front of the stove. “Little boy stay here.  
Hop Sing be right back.”

He returned in a moment and wrapped the little mite in a blanket. He had the bath already set up for Ben and the boys and they each bathed. Hop Sing had  
heated towels for them to dry off with and when they were all bathed warm and dressed he took Sparky off to get him bathed as well.

Adam let out a big sneeze and began to cough. Ben was concerned. It hadn’t been that long since Adam had been sick and it seemed he was going to be sick  
again.

One of the hands came to the door and Ben opened it.  
“Mr. Cartwright, Charlie said I should come and get you. The little pony is sick.”

Ben closed his eyes. This was not good. He said, “I’ll be right out. Hoss will come with me.”

Ben went inside to find a dry slicker to go out to the barn with. He told Adam and Hoss what had been said. Hoss came out with his father and Adam sat  
by the fire worried.

“Hop Sing, I’m all clean. I was in the stream!”

“Boy not clean until wash with soap.”  
Hop Sing soaped him up and made certain to wash every nook and cranny of the boy until he was certain the child was truly clean. Then he wrapped the boy  
in a large towel that had been heated. Sparky let out another big sneeze and then began to cough. Hop Sing didn’t like the sound of that. He dressed  
the boy in a nightshirt and brought him up to his room and tucked him in bed.

“Hop sing, I don’t want to be in bed!”

“No matter. Little boy sick, he stay in bed.”

“I’m not sick!” Sparky pouted and sulked. Hop Sing ignored this. It was the way with all Cartwright boys, even Mr. Ben himself.  
“Hop Sing be right back. Little boy had better still be in bed when Hop Sing get back.”

 

Hop Sing went to his kitchen and mixed a potion that had willow bark tea and a soothing compound for the boy’s throat and to break up any chest congestion.  
He walked back through the great room and heard another cough and saw Adam sitting by the fire.  
“Mr. Adam go up to room and get into bed. Hop Sing see to you after seeing to little brother.”

“Hop Sing, I’m all right.”

“If Mr. Adam want to feel Hop Sing wooden spoon then not be in bed when Hop Sing come back!”  
Hop sing went up the stairs with the medicine he had made up for Sparky.

Adam knew when he was beat. He trudged up to his room and to tell the truth he wasn’t exactly feeling very good and his bed sounded good to him.

Hoss and Ben went out to the barn. The little pony was breathing heavily and laying down, not a good sign. Ben and Hoss looked at each other. Hoss could see the look in his father’s eye. He didn’t want to see this brave little pony destroyed without giving him a fair chance to recover. 

“No Pa, let me try.”

“Hoss, I don’t want the animal to suffer.”

“I know Pa, but if the little one loses his pony he will be really upset.”

“It may be unavoidable Hoss.”

“Give me twenty-four hours Pa. If he doesn’t show any improvement by then…”

“Okay son, but if there is no improvement then we will have to do what we have to do.”

“Yes Pa.” Hoss said sadly. 

Hoss rigged up a sling to get the little pony on his feet with a block and tackle. He consulted his books to see what he could do. He went into the kitchen  
to find Hop Sing.

Hop Sing had just finished getting Sparky to sleep. The little boy was running a fever and he didn’t like the sound of his cough. He had also tended to Adam  
and was just coming back into the kitchen when he saw Hoss.  
“What boy want in Hop Sing’s kitchen?”

“Hop Sing, I need your help. Sparky’s pony is real sick and Pa has given me twenty-four hours to treat him and show some improvement or he will put him down.”

“Hop Sing help. Give boy helpful medicine for pony.”

“Hop Sing, Sparky doesn’t know about Blaze being sick and I would appreciate it if he didn’t know anything about that just yet.”

“Hop Sing not tell. Little boy pretty sick too.”

“Does Pa know that?”

“Father knows. Is with little one now.”

“Good Hop Sing.”

“Eldest brother sick too.”

“Oh man, Hop Sing. Does Pa know that Adam’s sick again too?”

“Yes, of course father knows. Father knows all.”

“I guess you’re right Hop Sing.”

“Hop Sing bring medicine for pony in a little while.”

“Thanks Hop Sing.”

Hoss went out to the barn and tended to the little pony. Hop Sing came out in a while and brought Hoss something for the pony.  
“Must get into pony to help clear up lung congestion.”

“Okay Hop Sing. I’ll make sure I get it down him one way or another.”

“Hoss good brother to try to save pony for little boy.”

“Thanks Hop Sing.”

Ben sat by Sparky’s bed. He felt weary. It was not the first time he had been at the bedside of his little son when he was sick. Memories of how ill he had been after the carriage accident and how close he had come to losing him flooded him. Ben bathed the little boy and he stayed by his bedside until Hop Sing shook him gently and made him go to bed.   
“Hop Sing watch little boy now. Mister Ben go to bed.”

“You’ll wake me if there’s any change Hop Sing?”

“Yes Mister Ben Hop Sing wake.”

Ben checked in on Adam before he went to bed. Adam was sleeping peacefully. And didn’t have any fever. 

Hoss stayed with the pony all night. He doctored him and prayed as well.   
“Come on now Blaze, ya got to get better. Little Sparky needs ya and ya need him too.”  
The little pony snuffled Hoss as if to say he was trying. 

Sparky raged with fever. Ben was worried. The little mite was so hot. Hop Sing had brought him down into the wash room a couple of times to bathe him in cool water to bring down is temperature. 

The little boy thrashed and kicked off his covers. Ben continue to keep vigil and to cover the child when he kicked off his covers. Paul Martin had come out as well and gave Ben some other medicine for the little tyke. Adam had felt better when he got up in the morning. He stayed with Sparky while Ben rested and the day wore on. 

Hoss continued to doctor Blaze. The little horse continued to breathe heavily. He couldn’t stand on his own, and Hoss was worried.   
When he saw his father walk in he was even more worried. Ben looked at the little pony and shook his head.   
“Hoss, it’s time. You go on into the house now. I’ll take care of this.”

“No Pa, please, give me a little more time?”

“No son, we agreed and it’s cruel to keep the animal suffering like this.”

Hoss turned tears falling down his face and his heart heavy with grief for both the little pony and for his brother when he found out. 

Chapter 52

Ben walked back into the house and took his rifle down from its rack. He walked back to the barn and raised the rifle to his shoulder. Just as he was ready to pull the trigger a surprisingly strong hand caught his arm and forced the rifle to the ground. Ben glanced up to see to his surprise Hop Sing at his side. 

“Mister Ben no do.”

“Hop Sing, the animal is suffering.” 

“Animal is nearing crisis stage; little pony will get better. Mister Ben regret destroying pony. Little boy will be very sad and make problem for Mister Ben. Mister Ben no do. Give pony more time.”

Ben eyed the little China man. He could see the wisdom of the ages in those eyes and relented. 

“Okay Hop Sing. How much longer do we wait?”

“One more day. Pony and boy both be better then.”

Ben raised an eyebrow. He knew from experience that Hop Sing knew about these things. He wasn’t quite sure how he knew, but he did trust in the man and his ancient knowledge.

Ben strode back to the house and placed the rifle back in its rack. He sought Hoss in his room.   
“Hoss?”

“Yes Pa?” Hoss said sadly.

“You get some sleep and then you have a pony out in the barn that needs your attention.”

A bright smile broke out on the boy’s face. “You didn’t…?”

“No I didn’t Hop Sing wouldn’t let me.”

“I’m glad Pa. It would have broken Sparky’s little heart. Little Joe’s too”

“Yes, that’s what Hop Sing said too about Sparky, I did forget about how Little Joe would have felt too having rescued Blaze and working him and giving him to Sparky and all.”

The next two days were busy ones for the entire Cartwright household. Between Adam and Sparky Hop Sing was busy. Hoss took care of Blaze and true to Hop Sing’s wisdom the little Pony recovered. 

“Papa, I don’t want any more broth!” Sparky whined.

“You need to eat little boy.”

“I want a sandwich. I don’t want any more broth.”  
Ben sighed. His little son was getting on his nerves. The child had been fractious and uncooperative for the past day or so. 

“Nicholas, it you don’t eat your broth I’m going to swat you on your behind.”

Sparky’s large grey eyes widened and rounded. He hadn’t expected his father to threaten him with a swat to his bottom. He ate his broth without further protest. 

Ben wondered what he was going to do. Sparky’s little episode had taken place several days ago. The child was still regaining his strength and he wasn’t sure if he should still punish him. The poor little tyke’s pony was still weak and recovering from his ordeal as well. All of this wouldn’t have happened however if the little one had not taken off on his pony without permission to begin with. He would have to follow through when the child was recovered enough to tolerate the spanking he was due. 

A few days later Adam came into Sparky’s room and sat down on his bed. 

“How are you doing little one?”

“Okay Adam. How come you can be up and I still have to stay in bed?”

“You were a whole lot sicker than I was little boy.”

“Oh.”

“Nicky, I want to talk to you.”

Sparky looked up into Adam’s eyes. He had a serious look about him. “Okay Adam.”

“We didn’t want to tell you this until you were feeling better, but Blaze got very sick the day we fell into the stream and Pa almost had to put him down.”

Sparky got a very worried look in his eyes. “He’s all right now isn’t he Adam? Papa didn’t have to put him down did he?” Sparky asked this last in a very small voice.

“No, Nicky, he didn’t. I want you to realize little boy that if you hadn’t gone off on Blaze all by yourself, hadn’t gotten Larry to saddle him up by being deceitful that all of the things that happened afterward wouldn’t have happened because we would all have been here at home safe and sound.”

Sparky thought about what Adam had just said. He went over the events and the consequences in his mind and his little chin began to tremble. Tears of genuine remorse and guilt began to flow down his little face. 

Adam was glad to see this. He had gotten through to the little mite. He had wanted his little brother to understand that his actions had created more far reaching consequences than just the spanking Pa would give him. 

“Adam, I’m sorry. I’ll try not to do anything like this again.”

“I know you will Sweet Pea.” Adam gathered the little boy into his arms and comforted him while he cried. When he stopped crying Adam looked at him. “You know Sparky Pa will probably give you a pretty good spanking for all this don’t you?”

“Yes Adam.” The little boy said sadly.

“Sparky, let me tell you a secret.”

“What secret Adam?”

“You’ll feel a whole lot better inside once Pa spanks you even though you’ll be hurting on the outside.”

“You mean I’ll feel better inside even though I’ll have a sore bottom?”

“Yep.”

“Really?”

“Yep.”

“How come?”

Because Pa will forgive you and you will be able to start again with a clean slate.”

“Adam?”

“Yes baby?”

“Can’t I get Papa to forgive me and not get the spanking?”

“What do you think?”

“No. You have to be punished first then you can be forgiven.”

“Yes little one. That’s usually the way it works.”

“Adam?”

“Yes?”

“Can you ask Papa to come in so we can talk and maybe he can give me my spanking and we can be okay?”

“Sure baby. I’ll find him and tell him we talked and you want to talk to him.”

Chapter 53

Adam tousled Sparky’s hair as he left the boy’s room and smiled to himself. The poor little mite. He was scared of getting the spanking, but wanted everything to be all right between himself and Pa. 

Adam found Ben sitting in the great room reading a book. Ben looked up as Adam came in. 

“Hi Adam.”

“Hi Pa. Can I talk to you?”

“Of course.” Ben marked and closed his book setting it aside.

“Pa, I want to talk to you about Sparky.”

“Hmm… what’s on your mind about the little one?”

“Well Pa, he’s really upset.”

“I see. What’s he upset about?”

“Well… I had a talk with him. I told him about Blaze and that if he hadn’t taken it into his head to take off on his pony on his own that Blaze wouldn’t have gotten sick and neither would he or I because we would have been safe here at home.”

“yes, that’s true enough.”

“I also told him that you would probably spank him for this, but after you punished him you would forgive him and then he could begin again.”

Ben looked at his eldest son and smiled. “Sounds like you’ve been a good big brother to your little brother Adam.”

“I tried to be Pa.”

“Okay, I’ll go up and talk to him.”

“Pa?”

“Yes Adam?”

“Don’t be too hard on him.”

“If you’re saying don’t give him the kind of spanking he deserves Adam, save your breath. You know as well as I do that when I promise something I follow through on it.”

“Yes Sir.”

Ben patted his son on the shoulder. “Don’t worry Adam, he’ll survive. You all did.”

Ben went upstairs and into the Littlest Cartwright’s room and shut the door.

Sparky looked up at his father’s entrance. His heart pounded and his stomach churned. 

“Nicky?”

“Yes Papa?”

“I think it is time you and I had a very necessary talk about what happened several days ago.”

“You mean when I took Blaze and rode up to the mine?”

“Yes. That’s exactly what I mean.”

“Yes Papa.”

“Nicholas, why did you go to the mine?”

“I wanted to see my friends. I was getting bored being at home and stuck in the house all the time.”

“Nicky, you were being restricted to the house for safety reasons, not for a punishment.”

“Yes Papa.”

“Nicholas, tell me what rules you have broken.”

Sparky looked into his father’s dark brown eyes and saw encouragement there. He wasn’t looking angry like he had when he had arrived at the mine.

“Papa, I was disobedient because I left the house and yard without permission. I was deceitful because I led Larry to believe Hop Sing had given me permission to ride Blaze by myself when he didn’t know the rule because he was too new. I was disobedient because I’m not supposed to ride my pony without another person with me like one of my brothers, you or Hop Sing. I was disobedient for riding to the mine without one of you with me too. I think that’s all.”

“That’s pretty good. Mostly you were disobedient weren’t you?”

“Yes Papa.”

“Nicholas if you lie, being deceitful what did I say would happen?”

“I would get a bare bottom spanking.”

“If you ride Blaze without permission or on your own what did I say would happen?”

“I would get a spanking and wouldn’t be allowed to ride Blaze for a very long time.”

“Yes, that’s right. What did I tell you would happen if you rode to the mine by yourself?”

“I would be spanked, you would restrict me and I wouldn’t be able to ride Blaze for a very long time.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

The little boy looked pretty sad now. “Are you going to spank me now Papa?”

“In a little bit. First I want us to talk.”

“Yes Papa.”

Nicky, what you did was very foolish and dangerous. Because of your stubbornness you worried Hop Sing because he didn’t know where you were. You worried Mrs. Walker because she was concerned for your safety. She had to send her oldest son to tell me where you were because she knew I would be worried about you. It was very dangerous because of the weather we have been having lately. Nicholas, if you would have been caught in that stream we ended up in without me and your brothers there to help fish you out and keep you safe you could have drowned and Papa wouldn’t have his little boy anymore. Even your horse helped to keep you safe which almost cost him his life because he got so sick. Nicholas you have to learn to listen to the adults in your life when they tell you things because they have had a lot more experience in life and know how to keep you safe.”

“Yes Papa.” Tears were already coming down the little one’s face. 

Nicky, I am going to have to spank you for this because it was what I told you I would do, also because you were deceitful and disobedient.”

“Yes Papa.”

“You think about this for a bit and I’ll be right back.”

“Yes Papa.”

Ben went into his room and picked up the hairbrush. He didn’t like the idea of using it, but he had to make a strong impression with Sparky about the danger he had put not only himself but others in as a result of his poor behavior and choices. He wouldn’t use it for his whole spanking, just to top it off.

Ben returned to Sparky’s room with the hairbrush in hand. Sparky’s eyes widened and rounded seeing what his Papa had in his hand.

“Nicky, I am going to be giving you a spanking on your bare bottom and then I will finish it with the hairbrush.”

“Yes Papa Sparky said in a very small voice, tears coming down his little face in earnest now.

“Then let’s get this over with. Nicholas Brett Gibson Cartwright do you understand why you are getting this spanking? 

“B-Because I-I went out on my p-pony without p-permission or telling anyone where I-I was g-going and riding alone on my p-pony when I’m not s-supposed to. B-Because I-I was deceitful and disobedient. P-Papa, I-I broke a lot of rules didn’t I-I?” Sparky stuttered out through his tears. 

“Yes you did little one.”

Ben then picked up his little boy who was dressed only in his nightshirt and put him over his knee. He flipped up Sparky’s nightshirt. His little hands came back to try to protect his backside from what he knew was going to be a painful spanking. Ben just gently secured them and moved them out of the way. Then he brought his hand down hard on that little bottom. When Sparky was begging and pleading for the spanking to stop Ben paused and secured his son so he wouldn’t move the wrong way. He then picked up the hairbrush and applied three quick stinging swats to Sparky’s little bottom.   
Ben then said, “You will not get up on your pony and ride by yourself without permission.” Ben smacked the hairbrush down hard on Sparky’s little bottom. 

“Oww! Papa! That hurts! Sparky cried. 

” You will not ride off to the mine or anywhere else by yourself and not without telling anyone where you are going.” Ben again brought the hairbrush down hard on Sparky’s little bottom.

“Oww! Papa!” Sparky cried dissolving into a torrent of tears this time. 

Ben set the hairbrush down and said, “Hush now baby, it’s all over. Papa forgives you and we can begin again.” Ben Held the crying boy in his arms and soothed him until he stopped crying. 

“I’m sorry Papa, I’ll try very hard not to do that ever again.”

“I know you will Sweet Pea.” Ben hugged the little mite tight. Then he settled him back into his bed again tucking a fluffy pillow under the boy’s little bottom.

“Nicky, look at me.”  
“When Sparky looked at his father Ben began, “I want you to know that just because you’ve been sick I will not be giving you any special privileges like I did when you were returned to me from the Indians. You still have all the rules to follow as always do you understand?”

“Yes Papa. Papa, my bottom really hurts.”

“I’m sure it does and probably will for a little while baby. I don’t want to have to do this again.

Ben hugged him tight and Sparky returned the hug.

“Papa, I don’t want you to have to spank me with the hairbrush like you just did either.”

Ben smiled then at the littlest Cartwright and gave him another big hug. “you stay in bed now baby.”

“Okay Papa.”

Chapter 54

Adam, Hoss and little Joe were downstairs when the sound of their little brother being spanked reached them. When there was a pause and then a different sound to the smacks All three squirmed. They all recognized the sound of the hairbrush being used. 

“Adam, I wish Pa didn’t feel he had to do that.” 

“Little Joe, you know he’s come close to spanking him with the hairbrush a number of times now. This time he had to follow through. What Sparky did was very dangerous and you know it.”

“Yeah Adam, but the little mite’s cries sure break my heart.”

“I know Hoss, it does me too. I guess we all get to feel a little bit of what it must feel like for Pa to actually be the one to have to do it. You know Pa doesn’t like to spank or tan any of us.”

“Yeah, but it’s hard.”

All three boys sighed feeling sad for their little brother.

Ben settled Sparky down in his bed. He knew the little tyke’s bottom would sting for a while, but by the time he went to bed for the night it would be nothing but a very unpleasant memory. When Sparky drifted off to sleep Ben left his door slightly ajar and went downstairs. 

When Ben entered the great room he was met with three pairs of very sad puppy dog looking eyes. 

“Are you boys all right?”

“Yes Pa, are you okay?”

Ben sighed, “I’m okay. That wasn’t the easiest thing I’ve ever had to do.”

“We understand. It wasn’t exactly the easiest thing to hear either.”

Ben gave them a crooked smile and they all hugged each other. 

“Pa, that little mite sure has brought a lot of life and love into our family hasn’t he?”

“yes Adam, he certainly has. “He certainly has become a solid part of our hearts hasn’t he.”

“Yep.” All three smiled at their father. 

In the next few days Sparky was his usual perky self, Adam was feeling better and even Blaze looked more perky. Ben had told Sparky he would not be allowed to ride him for a month. Sparky had cried and cried, but Ben had held very firm to this. Besides, the little pony needed the time to recover and to become strong again. 

Sparky was sitting on the porch steps looking a bit forlorn. 

“Hey Sweet Pea, what’s the matter?”

“I’m just feeling bad Hoss. I still can’t ride Blaze and it’s such a pretty day. I would have asked if I could go for a ride with one of you. Little Joe is in school and Now that the weather is better Adam and you are out helping Papa. Adam doesn’t have time to do school work with me so I don’t really have anything to do.”

“Yeah, being punished is no fun is it Sweet Pea?”

“Uh uh.”

“Have you read any of your books today?”

“I’ve read them all so many times that I’m tired of them Hoss.”

“Hmm… Pa only told ya ya couldn’t ride ya pony didn’t he?”

“Yes Hoss.”

“Did he tell ya ya couldn’t leave the yard?”

“No, but you know I can’t leave the yard without permission.”

“Well… I tell ya what little boy. Ya go on inside and tell Hop Sing that I want ta take ya for a ride and if it would be all right for ya to come with me okay?”

The little boy brightened up considerably. ” Really Hoss?”

“Yep, now go on.” Hoss gave the boy a light pat on his bottom. 

Sparky ran to the back door, but carefully opened it and walked into the kitchen. Hop Sing was busy chopping vegetables for the stew they would be having for supper.   
“Hop Sing?”

“What little boy want?”

“Hoss wants to take me with him for a ride. May I go with him?”

“Will little boy be riding pony?”

“No Hop Sing, I’ll be riding up with Hoss.”

“Then little one may go.”

Sparky ran over to Hop Sing and gave the China man a huge hug. Then he took off out the kitchen door all smiles.

“Hoss! Hop Sing said I could go!”

“Well now, then let’s go.”  
Hoss took Sparky and sat him up on Chub, then he mounted behind him and they rode off toward the foothills. 

“Sparky, look there , there’s a squirrel!”

“Yes Hoss!”  
Hoss continued to point out the small animals and the spring crocus peeking out from their winter beds. Spring was on its way. Trees and shrubs were getting their leaves and all was bright and new.

When Sparky and Hoss returned from their ride Sparky was in a much happier mood.   
When Adam came home Sparky climbed up on Blaze’s stall. He hadn’t done this for some time after he had been sick. Adam was pleasantly surprised. He walked over to the little mite and plucked him up off the stall wall. “You know little one you’re not supposed to be up here don’t you?”

“Yes Adam.”

Adam gave him a stinging swat to his backside. Sparky just gave him a grin and Adam tousled his hair. All was right between them now. 

That night Sparky played with Little Joe and the two boys had a great deal of fun. Ben surveyed his children and felt very content. 

When Ben went up to see his little one for the last time that night before heading for his own bed Sparky said, “Papa, I love you and all my brothers and Hop Sing very much. Thank you for finding me and bringing me here and loving me enough to make me your very own little boy.”

Ben was touched. “Nicholas, you don’t need to thank me. I think I fell in love with you from the very first time I picked you up when you tried to fight me and I brought you home.”

“Papa, I was a really naughty boy then wasn’t I?”

“Not really Nicky, you were scared and confused. You wouldn’t talk and we had to do a lot of guessing those first weeks. I’m glad you finally talked to us and we could all become a wonderful family together.”

Me too Papa. I don’t ever want to leave here Papa.”

“You will never have to leave here Nicky unless you want to when you grow up and decide what you want to do.”

The child got up on his knees and grabbed Ben around the neck and hugged him hard.   
“Papa, I love you so much.”

“Me and your brothers do to. We wouldn’t know what to do without you around little boy.”

Sparky grinned and Ben patted his bottom and settled him back into his bed. 

Once Ben was alone in his room he thought about the child that had been entrusted to him. He thought of how the Lord brought things into his life so unexpectedly and although there was sometimes pain how much more joy also entered into his life. Nicholas Brett Gibson Cartwright was just such a precious gift and Ben thanked the Lord everyday for giving him such a precious child. Nicky would be a joy to raise, to watch him grow into a boy, an adolescent and then a man. There would be trials and tribulations along the way, but they would always be worth it to Benjamin Cartwright.

The end


End file.
